The United Nations has condemned the recent surge in mass kidnappings in north-central Nigeria and called on authorities to take urgent action to halt the attacks and bring perpetrators to justice.

“We are shocked by the recent wave of abductions in north-central Nigeria,” UN rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan said in Geneva. “We urge Nigerian authorities at all levels to take all lawful measures to stop these attacks and hold those responsible accountable.”

The warning comes amid one of the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria in recent years, with over 400 people—mostly schoolchildren—abducted since November 17 across Niger, Kebbi, Kwara, and Borno states. Of those taken, only 88 have been freed or escaped.

Al-Kheetan stressed that Nigerian authorities must ensure the safe return of all remaining captives, prevent further abductions, and conduct prompt, impartial investigations to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The kidnappings have intensified fears across Africa’s most populous nation, prompting the closure of 47 boarding secondary schools, including the Federal Government Girls College in Bwari, Abuja. This marks another chapter in Nigeria’s ongoing struggle with mass abductions, which have been a persistent threat since the Chibok schoolgirl kidnapping more than a decade ago.

Borno State remains particularly affected, as it continues to grapple with a long-running Islamist insurgency that has claimed more than 40,000 lives since 2009.

Security incidents continue elsewhere. In Isapa community, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, locals successfully repelled a kidnap attempt by armed men, leading to a heavy exchange of gunfire with vigilante forces.

Meanwhile, a church crusade in Agboda community, Nasarawa State, was disrupted by unidentified attackers on Monday evening, leaving one participant injured. Dr. Daniel Ukpo, the event organiser, confirmed that attendees fled to safety following reports of nearby attacks.

The recent spate of kidnappings and violent attacks underscores the urgent need for stronger security measures and decisive action from Nigerian authorities.