Former Information Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana, has warned that armed groups behind recent school kidnappings in Northern Nigeria may be abducting children to use as human shields, following reported threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Gana made the statement on Saturday during a reception in Abuja celebrating the elevation of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, as chairman of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), as well as a fundraising dinner for the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations’ national secretariat.
Hailing Adeniyi’s appointment, Gana highlighted the alarming pattern of recent abductions, suggesting the kidnappers fear a potential foreign military response.
“Somebody phoned me just before I came here to say that it would appear the bandits are taking the threat from the president of the United States seriously. Therefore, it would appear that they are now mobilising human shields to protect themselves,” Gana said.
He urged that the abductions should concern “elders, statesmen and fathers of the nation,” noting that the geography of the attacks indicates kidnappers are repositioning deep within forest enclaves to avoid airstrikes.
“They fear that they are going to be targeted from the air and therefore felt the need to grab a few people to be human shields,” he added.
Gana called on the Federal Government to strengthen cooperation with international partners, noting the importance of technological means in targeting armed groups remotely.
“I think the Nigerian government will need all the wisdom to liaise with whoever can help us. Technology has gone to a point where you can be targeted from the air. And I think these people need to be targeted now from the air,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Minister of Information Idris Mohammed revealed that foreign news organisations have intensified pressure for updates on the abductions in Kebbi and Niger states.
“As I was sitting down there, I got about two text messages from some international press organisations asking me to confirm the number of people who have actually been kidnapped in Agwara,” Mohammed said.
He assured Nigerians that the Federal Government is working urgently to rescue the abducted children, adding that President Bola Tinubu had given clear instructions on resolving the crisis.
“My response to them is that while we are counting those who are kidnapped, I’m telling them that by God’s grace, we are already working for them to get released… and they will be released very soon,” Idris said, while cautioning against amplifying insecurity narratives internationally.
Minister of State for Finance Doris Uzoka-Anite praised Adeniyi’s WCO appointment as a demonstration of Nigeria’s growing influence in global trade governance. NIPR President Ike Neliaku also lauded Adeniyi, describing him as a “hard-working public servant who believes in performance.”
Gana’s warning and the minister’s updates come amid rising concern in Washington over the escalating attacks in Northern Nigeria. US Congressman Riley Moore recently described the violence targeting Christians as “escalating out of control” and warned it could be considered a genocide, stating that President Trump had indicated he would intervene if Nigeria failed to stop the bloodshed.
The warning follows a string of school kidnappings, including Monday’s attack on Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, where at least 24 students were abducted, with similar incidents reported in Niger State.