PDP Accuses Tinubu Administration of “Surrendering to Terrorists” Amid Rising School Kidnappings
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of “surrendering to terrorists” following a surge in school kidnappings across Northern Nigeria. The opposition party raised the alarm in a statement on Saturday, warning that the Federal Government’s reported contemplation of school closures in vulnerable states amounts to giving violent extremists exactly what they want.
The PDP’s reaction follows two major abductions within a week — the kidnapping of 25 students in Kebbi State and the abduction of 315 students and staff in Niger State. The party said each incident has left families and communities in deep anguish while exposing what it described as the “alarming insecurity that has become the new reality” under the APC-led government.
According to the statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, some state governments have already begun shutting down schools, while the Federal Government is reportedly considering a broader closure. The party warned that such a move would worsen Nigeria’s education crisis, especially in the North, which, according to UNICEF, is home to most of the country’s 18.3 million out-of-school children.
“Closing schools will only help the terrorists achieve their goal of stopping children from obtaining formal education,” the PDP stated. “This administration’s quick-fix approaches to serious governance issues cannot address the root causes of insecurity.”
The opposition party also criticised President Tinubu’s response to the recent attacks, describing it as “lacklustre and unempathetic.” Rather than visiting the affected states, the President only directed the Minister of State for Defence to relocate to Kebbi — a decision the PDP said reflects “insensitivity” and “levity” toward a national emergency.
Highlighting gaps in school protection systems, the party urged the government to immediately fund and implement the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools. It stressed that safeguarding learning environments must be a priority to prevent further disruption to education, especially in Northern Nigeria.
The PDP further reminded the administration that securing lives and property is the “primary responsibility” of any government. It called on the Federal Government to seek local or international assistance if it is unable to contain escalating insecurity, or “honourably resign.”
The statement was signed by Comrade Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, on November 23, 2025.
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