In a conversation about the pervasive insecurity involving schoolchildren abductions in Nigeria, an acquaintance admitted she had never heard of the abduction of 42 pupils from primary and junior secondary schools in Mussa, Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists. This was three weeks after the incident. Among the abductees were toddlers aged two to four. The abduction occurred on the same day as the horrific kidnapping of children from Esiele/Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, which included the beheading of one abductee and a teacher.
Disparity in Public Attention
The pain and outrage surrounding the Oyo abduction have been understandably louder than those for the Borno incident. While social media focused on the Oyo tragedy, near silence has surrounded the Borno children. Borno, in the North-East, has been ravaged by insurgency for nearly 20 years, with Boko Haram's modus operandi including schoolchildren abductions and killings, displacing millions. In contrast, Oyo State in the South-West was relatively peaceful until recently, though not immune to criminality.
Media and Government Response
The Oyo abduction trended and went viral, while many Nigerians remain unaware of the Borno abduction. This raises questions about a possible media blackout, censorship, or official cover-up. The government's response has been disparate: a presidential delegation led by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila visited Oyo, while Borno received only a visit from Governor Babagana Zulum, who ordered the school's closure and relocation. This disparity suggests that some lives are deemed more important than others in Nigeria.
Factors Influencing Coverage
News travels fastest where cameras are present. Ibadan, Oyo's capital, is just 130 kilometres from Lagos, the media headquarters, making it easily accessible. Askira-Uba, in southern Borno, is a full day's journey from Maiduguri, with bad roads, poor network coverage, and requiring military escorts. When journalists cannot reach the scene, the story dies. Additionally, the North-East has experienced over 1,000 students taken since 2014, leading to a brutal calculation by news outlets: another abduction? This normalization dulls public attention.
Regional Dynamics
The Oyo case had parents on Instagram Live within hours, community leaders calling radio stations, and Yoruba socio-political groups issuing statements before sunset. In Askira-Uba, families are displaced, traumatized, and often lack data services. Many fear reprisals for speaking out, and local leaders sometimes mute cases to negotiate quietly with kidnappers. Northern elites, burnt by being labeled 'terrorist sympathizers,' often choose strategic silence unless political interests are involved. The president's origin from the South-West also drives faster federal response to violence in his home region.
Normalization of Loss
Editors often determine coverage based on scale, symbolism, and novelty. Five children in Oyo means 'insecurity has reached the South-West,' while five in Borno means 'insecurity continues in the North-East.' One threatens a new frontier; the other confirms an old war. Northern lives have been normalized as losses over years of Boko Haram violence. Many communities choose quiet negotiation over noisy advocacy, as noise can get hostages killed. After Chibok, some girls are still missing, and tragedies in Dapchi, Buni Yadi, and other states have not brought relief.
Conclusion
The lack of publicity around the Askira-Uba children may be politics, media bias, self-inflicted northern complacency, or the North-South dichotomy. Governments worry more about regions that consistently apply pressure. Nigeria's divisions along multiple fault lines prevent unity even in grief. The disparity in official response underscores that some lives appear more important than others.
In another development, the police rescued the sister of former Minister of Power Adegoke Adelabu after about 72 hours in captivity. The swift rescue raises questions: would the police have been as thorough if the family were not influential? The abduction appeared urban, and while the police have not profiled the abductors, the public deserves to know their identities.
