My heart bleeds as I write this. As a mother and as the President of Nigerian women, I am devastated by the fresh wave of terror unleashed upon our children.
The recent reports coming from Niger State, where gunmen attacked the St. Mary Catholic School in Agwara, abducting scores of innocent students, and the incident just days prior in Kebbi State where 25 schoolgirls were seized, are not just headlines—they are a dagger in the heart of every Nigerian mother.
THE EMPIRICAL REALITY OF OUR NIGHTMARE
We must face the cold, hard statistics. This reign of terror did not start today.
- It began over a decade ago in 2014 with Chibok, where 276 girls were stolen. Today, 82 of those Chibok daughters are still missing.
- Since that tragic night, over 1,500 students have been abducted across Nigerian schools.
- Education has become a high-risk endeavor. According to the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, Nigeria now ranks 6th among the natthe nations most impacted by terrorism, with hundreds of fatalities recorded this year alone.
We are watching a systematic assault on the future of the Girl Child. When a girl is too afraid to go to school, a nation’s future is put on pause.
MY CALL TO NIGERIANS
I call on every well-meaning Nigerian to rise and condemn these acts without reservation. Silence is no longer an option. We must not become desensitized to the numbers. These are not statistics; they are our daughters, our sisters, and our future leaders.
MY CHARGE TO THE GOVERNMENT
To the Federal Government and our Security Agencies: Condemnations are no longer enough.
We demand a total galvanization of all security apparatus to halt this ramp-up in terrorist activities. We need:
- Immediate Rescue: Every effort must be deployed to bring back the students taken in Niger and Kebbi states, and all those still in captivity.
- Safe Schools Declaration: We demand the full, practical implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration to ensure our learning centers are fortresses, not hunting grounds.
- Accountability: We need to see perpetrators brought to book to serve as a deterrent.
As the voice of Nigerian women, I declare that we will not rest until our schools are safe and our children are home.
Princess Edna D. D. Azura (Kwatam Mutaku)
National President,
National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) Nigeria