Nigerian security forces are ramping up their efforts to locate and rescue hundreds of schoolchildren who were kidnapped in the north-western region of the country. The extensive search operation includes combing through forests and setting up roadblocks, but experts warn that it could take weeks to cover the vast woodland areas.

The mass-abduction occurred on Thursday when more than 280 children, ranging from seven to 18 years old, were taken from a school in Kuriga. This incident marks one of the largest recent kidnappings in the turbulent north-west of Nigeria. Additionally, another 15 children were abducted from a school in Sokoto on Saturday.

These abductions are part of a disturbing trend where criminal gangs strategically target schools, colleges, and highways to amass groups of victims for ransom demands. Furthermore, in a separate raid in the state of Borno, over 200 individuals, primarily women and children displaced by conflict, were also taken hostage.

The responsible group behind the school abductions remains unknown, although suspicions are pointing toward militant jihadists who have been carrying out an insurgency in the north-eastern region. Children who managed to escape the kidnappers in Kuriga shared harrowing accounts of beatings with horsewhips and being forced to trek for hours under scorching heat. The kidnappers reportedly separated the girls from the boys, with a higher number of girls among the victims.

The gravity of the situation is causing immense distress for the affected communities. Lawan Yaro, a villager who had five grandchildren among the abducted children, spoke about fading hopes and the unprecedented nature of the insecurity in the region.

According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project, over 3,500 people have been abducted in Nigeria over the past year alone. Experts warn that criminal gangs are continually adapting their strategies and deepening their presence in the north-west region through extortion.

These kidnappings reignite painful memories of the infamous 2014 incident where Boko Haram militants kidnapped over 250 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno state. Unfortunately, many of those girls are still missing.

Nigeria's armed forces are currently engaged in multiple fronts, combatting armed criminals in the north-west while also addressing the long-running jihadist insurgency in the north-east. The ongoing conflict in the north-east has resulted in the deaths of 40,000 people and the displacement of over 2 million since 2009.

As the search for the abducted schoolchildren continues, the Nigerian government is under mounting pressure to ensure the safe release and protection of its citizens.