Focus on Africa Nigeria's kidnapping crisis leaves parents scarred
Dec 3, 2025
Madina Meshanu, a BBC field reporter, shares harrowing accounts from parents affected by the Papiri kidnappings in Nigeria, revealing the emotional toll on families. Rita Awuma, a mental health advocate from Uganda, discusses her personal journey through care at Butabika Hospital, tackling stigma and highlighting the need for better policies. Dr. Chido Ruafa, a psychiatrist with the WHO, addresses misconceptions about mental health institutions and advocates for integrated care, emphasizing community rehabilitation over confinement.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Parents Watched Children Taken On Foot
- Parents watched armed men march children on foot while biked gunmen drove them forward and could do nothing to help.
- One father described preferring to see a child's dead body to believe they were gone rather than the uncertainty of disappearance.
Conflicting Numbers Deepen Parental Hopelessness
- Official counts of kidnapped children conflicted between schools, police and the governor, leaving parents in limbo.
- Conflicting figures deepen distrust and slow coherent rescue or support efforts for affected families.
Political Downplaying Of Attacks
- Governor Umar Bago downplayed the scale and framed some reports as exaggerated, calling the attack a scare with many children fleeing and later returning.
- Political attempts to minimise incidents may reflect tensions over international scrutiny and complicate public trust.