The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the Northern Region and the FCT, Rev. John Hayab, has shared a heartbreaking account of a parent who reportedly died of a heart attack after his three children were abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State.
Speaking on Tuesday, Hayab described the intense trauma families are experiencing following the kidnappings of schoolchildren in Kebbi, Kwara, and Niger states over the past week. He said the father, identified simply as Mr. Anthony, could not cope with the shock of losing all three of his children to the attackers.
“People want to see concrete action. Imagine a parent whose children were taken… one of them, Mr. Anthony, died yesterday of a heart attack because his three children were among the victims,” Hayab said.
He explained that many parents are too frightened to speak openly about their ordeal, with the emotional pain still raw and overwhelming.
Hayab also raised concerns that parents of the abducted children in Niger State are becoming increasingly desperate. He described meeting church leaders in Kontagora, where many families are struggling to understand what has happened to their children.
“These children have not slept, they have not bathed, and their parents don’t even know where they are,” he said, stressing the urgency of the situation.
According to him, locals in Niger State reported little to no visible security presence, despite the scale of the crisis. He emphasized that Nigerians are tired of statements and now demand real action.
Hayab noted that about 50 senior students escaped on their own after fleeing into the bush, but over 265 children, mostly aged between 9 and 14, remain missing.
He also acknowledged the recent release of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State, but warned that the broader insecurity continues to traumatize families and expose deep gaps in Nigeria’s security system.
Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga confirmed the release of the Kebbi schoolgirls in a statement on Tuesday.
“Everybody is worried, everybody is angry, everybody needs a stop,” Hayab said. “It has been a traumatic week for parents, for leaders, and for our security personnel.”
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Hayab argued that Nigeria has the manpower to curb terrorism but suffers from poor resource deployment. He noted that many officers assigned to protect citizens are instead guarding VIPs and banks.
“When proper deployment is done, we will be able to get rid of these things. We have what it takes, but we are not deploying it,” he said.
In response, the Special Protection Unit of the Nigeria Police Force has ordered all officers attached to VIPs nationwide to return to their bases. This follows a directive issued on November 23 by President Bola Tinubu, ordering the immediate withdrawal of police officers assigned to VIP security across the country.
