Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to intensify efforts to secure the release of schoolchildren abducted in Borno and Oyo states.

The organisation made the appeal in a statement shared on X on Friday, warning that the victims remain at serious risk and require urgent rescue.

Amnesty International said the incidents reflect the growing insecurity facing schools and communities affected by repeated armed attacks across the country.

“The children abducted in Borno and Oyo are at serious risk of being harmed. Nigerian authorities must take all measures to return them to safety,” the organisation stated.

It also urged security agencies to rescue all children currently being held by armed groups, stressing that attacks on schools and the abduction of minors constitute serious violations of international law.

“Attacks on schools and abductions of children are war crimes,” the group added.

According to Amnesty, continued violence and insecurity have disrupted education in several communities, forcing many children out of school and displacing teachers.

“Other children have had to abandon their education after being displaced by frequent violent attacks on their communities, and many teachers have been forced to flee to other states,” the organisation said.

The rights group stressed that schools must remain safe environments for learning and urged authorities to take concrete measures to prevent further attacks and protect children’s right to education.

“Schools should be places of safety, and no child should have to choose between their education and their life,” Amnesty stated.