Dr Oluwadamisi Tayo-Ladega, country director of His Marvellous Grace Support Foundation (HMGSF), has called on UNICEF to “move into action” to protect Nigerian children, following a fresh wave of school kidnappings that have swept parts of the country.
Speaking with Nigerian Mirror in Manchester, United Kingdom, Dr Tayo-Ladega said the “spate of insecurity in the country which now takes a time of flesh on the children is worrisome.” She warned that the sustained insecurity which has already forced the closure of many schools “may pervert the brighter future of the children if immediate action is not taken.” Dr Tayo-Ladega urged the international community to support Nigeria, saying that while “the government is trying her best,” it should not “shy from seeking help from the international community.” HMGSF is a Lagos-based NGO that works on education, health and child welfare. 
The call comes after a brutal surge in attacks on schools across northern and central Nigeria in November 2025. Gunmen stormed St. Mary’s Catholic school in Papiri, Niger State, on 21 November, abducting hundreds of pupils and staff in one of the country’s largest mass kidnappings in recent memory; authorities and church leaders reported that more than 300 students and a number of teachers were taken, with dozens later escaping or being freed. Separate abductions — including a raid on a girls’ school in Kebbi State that left dozens missing have compounded fears for student safety. 
Meanwhile, UNICEF had issued a note condemning the abductions and calling for stronger protection for children and schools, describing the attacks as grave violations of children’s rights and urging swift action to secure the release of those taken and to keep children safe in learning environments. Humanitarian groups including Save the Children and Human Rights Watch have also warned that repeated school attacks are pushing children out of education and imperilling their long-term wellbeing. 
Nigerian authorities have responded with emergency security measures. President Bola Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency and announced plans to bolster police and other security forces to respond to the wave of violence, but analysts and victims’ families say more focused protection for schools and greater international support are needed to prevent further attacks. Dr Tayo-Ladega told journalists in Manchester that targeted programmes, including child protection, trauma support and safe-school initiatives led by UNICEF and partners should be scaled up immediately to address the crisis. 
Experts say the impact goes beyond the children who were kidnapped. Repeated attacks have led to school closures in affected states, disrupting learning for thousands and compounding fears among parents. “When schools close, the setback is measured in lost years of learning and increased vulnerability to exploitation,” said a child protection specialist quoted in recent coverage; NGOs warn that without urgent coordinated action, an entire generation in some regions could lose access to safe schooling. 
Dr Tayo-Ladega’s appeal adds a civil-society voice to growing international pressure for a robust, multi-sectoral response. She called specifically on UNICEF to bring technical capacity, child protection expertise and international attention to bear: “Children need more than words they need safe classrooms, emergency psychosocial care and urgent international support to ensure their rights are upheld,” she said.
