Kidnapping of over 300 students presents Tinubu with his biggest security test.

Arab Sea Newspaper - Follow-ups

The kidnapping of more than 300 students from St. Mary's Catholic School in the village of Baberi, northern Nigeria, reveals the depth of the security crisis facing President Bola Tinubu's administration, despite his repeated promises to reform the security sector and strengthen the capabilities of the army and police. According to residents' testimonies, repeated demands to provide protection for the school were not met by the security forces, forcing residents to rely on unarmed volunteer guards, who fled as soon as dozens of armed men stormed the place on motorcycles. The incident indicates the continued expansion of armed gangs in remote areas, where kidnappings for ransom are repeated despite the school's proximity to a local police station. The attack also comes amid increasing international pressure on Nigeria, after US President Donald Trump threatened to take action over what he described as the mistreatment of Christians. Despite the reduction of jihadist attacks in the northeast of the country, armed groups are now using drones and heavy weapons to target military sites, which increases security challenges. The latest attack—which also included the abduction of 12 teachers—is one of the worst mass kidnapping incidents in Nigeria's history, surpassing the Chibok incident in 2014. President Tinubu was forced to cancel foreign visits and direct the security services to redeploy, in addition to withdrawing thousands of police officers from VIP protection duties.