Fear Grips Nigerian Villages After Mass Kidnappings; Communities Explore Risky Peace Pacts

Parents in Nigeria’s central Niger state are living in profound fear following the abduction of more than 300 schoolchildren from St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri village. Ten days after the harrowing incident, many parents are hesitant to speak publicly or engage with authorities, fearing retaliation from the armed groups responsible.

“If they hear you say anything about them, before you know it they’ll come for you. They’ll come to your house and take you into the bush,” one concerned parent, identified as Aliyu to protect his identity, explained. His young son is among the estimated 250 students, some as young as five years old, who remain missing after armed assailants stormed the school grounds in the early hours of November 21.

The Papiri abduction is part of a disturbing surge in mass kidnappings across northern and central Nigeria. These incidents are frequently attributed to criminal organizations, often referred to as “bandits,” who view abduction for ransom as a lucrative enterprise. “Our village is remote, we are close to the bandits,” Aliyu added, highlighting the proximity to the hideouts, which he noted are a three-hour drive away and too perilous for villagers to approach themselves. The father expressed deep anguish, particularly given the historical instances of captives dying in forest hideouts from illness or due to unpaid ransoms. “I feel so bitter and my wife hasn’t eaten for days… We’re not happy at all. We need someone to help us to take action.”

Remote boarding schools, such as the one in Papiri, are often targeted as they present vulnerable opportunities for large ransoms. Just two days after the Papiri incident, 12 teenage girls were seized from Mussa District in northeastern Borno state, a region historically plagued by jihadist insurgency. Security forces later confirmed the rescue of these girls, stating they were abducted by the Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP) while harvesting crops.

Days before the Papiri kidnapping, 25 girls were taken from a school in Maga, Kebbi state. One student managed to escape, and the remaining girls were subsequently rescued by security forces from a “farm settlement.” While no details have been released regarding a ransom payment in the Maga case, Millenium TV understands that paying ransoms is illegal in Nigeria, though hostages have been killed when payments are not made. Relatives often resort to crowdfunding, and in large-scale school abductions, authorities are sometimes suspected of negotiating for releases.

No specific group has claimed responsibility for the recent school kidnappings in Papiri and Maga. However, government officials have indicated that they believe jihadists, rather than bandits, are responsible. The complexity of these operations has led many to believe they could not occur without internal assistance. “All these abductions are not common in Kebbi. These kidnappings can only happen with the connivance of someone from the community, because no stranger can come to a place and pull something like this off without the help of locals,” stated Yusuf, the legal guardian to some of the Maga girls, whose name has also been changed for his safety. He stressed the need for local knowledge.

In a surprising development, some communities severely impacted by banditry for the past decade, having lost hope in security forces, are now forging their own solutions. These rural areas, living in close proximity to the gangs, have resorted to “peace deals” in exchange for access to valuable resources. David Nwaugwe, a security analyst, noted that these agreements, particularly in the mineral-rich northwest where gold is abundant, have shown effectiveness. “What we’ve seen over time is that there seems to be some sort of a decline in the rate of attacks,” he observed.

Katsina state, a region long synonymous with insecurity, exemplifies this shift. In the past year, several peace deals between bandit and community leaders have been struck. During these negotiations, representatives from both sides meet to hash out terms. Bandit leaders have shown willingness to negotiate, despite sometimes attending talks armed. The Jibia area, an early adopter, reached a deal in March, ending over a decade of insecurity. Community leader and lawyer Ibrahim Sabiu, who represented Jibia, lamented, “Our homes and sources of livelihood were destroyed. Schools and hospitals all closed down. Hundreds of people were killed and hundreds more kidnapped for ransom.” Key stipulations included the reopening of schools, guaranteed safety, and bandits refraining from entering the community with weapons. Bandits, in turn, requested access to clean drinking water, safe passage for their cattle, and permission for their women to trade in local markets. A high priority for both sides was the release of kidnapped individuals. While the exact number of releases in Jibia is unknown, 37 villagers were freed in Kurfi, another area of Katsina state, a month after their deal was struck. “We had to accept the peace offer because there was no end in sight to the violence,” Sabiu explained, acknowledging the failure of traditional security agencies.

Audu Abdullahi Ofisa, a bandit leader involved in the Jibia talks, supported the peace initiative, stating, “Life is full of ups and downs, we are happy to go into another phase.” While rural communities clearly benefit from peace, the bandits’ motivations, particularly in deals not involving gold mines, are also becoming apparent. Their nomadic lifestyle often leads to difficulties accessing clean water and inflated food prices due to market restrictions, making their lives expensive and uncomfortable. “We are all tired of violence,” remarked Nasiru Bosho, a bandit leader from the Kurfi negotiations. “We were all living together in the same community until the unfortunate violence began. We have agreed to live and let live. No more harassment or kidnapping by either side.” There is also a view that some communities have been financially depleted, making further ransom payments difficult.

Despite tentative security gains in northern regions like Kurfi and Jibia, analysts suggest this has merely shifted the insecurity. “As you move further south, people are better off economically,” Nwaugwe noted, indicating that gangs might target wealthier regions. “The more these gangs push southwards, the more they’re likely to find places that they can attack. Parents in those schools are more able to gather enough funds to pay ransoms.” This has led to the abandonment of entire rural communities in the northwest, with residents relocating to major city centers.

Recent weeks have seen a resurgence in attacks, leading some to question a possible link to recent statements by former US President Donald Trump regarding military intervention and the protection of Christians in Nigeria. Millenium TV sources indicate that Nigeria’s security situation is increasingly complex, making it difficult to differentiate between violent extremist groups and bandits, as they operate fluidly in similar areas. Christian Ani, a security expert, dismissed a direct causal link to Trump’s comments, emphasizing that profit, not ideology, primarily drives these groups. Nwaugwe concurred, stating, “For now, I just think they’re just going after soft targets like schools because they’re easy to get money from. It’s too early to draw other conclusions.”

Experts believe that stopping the violence requires a multi-faceted approach, combining armed confrontation with amnesty deals. “It’s kind of like the stick and carrot approach – show them that you can use overwhelming military force against them, then try to convince the rest to surrender,” an analyst suggested, emphasizing that military power alone would not suffice. For the parents in Papiri, however, the concept of peaceful coexistence with their captors remains a distant hope as they desperately await the safe return of their children.