In a shocking escalation of violence in northwest Nigeria, gunmen kidnapped at least 227 students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger state on Friday, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed. This marks the largest mass abduction of schoolchildren in Nigeria since March 2024, when more than 200 students were taken in Kaduna state.
Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, CAN chairman in Niger, visited the school and said some students managed to escape, though details remain scarce. “From our record, 215 pupils and students, including 12 teachers, were abducted by the terrorists,” he stated.
Local police and government officials confirmed the attack but did not disclose the number of victims initially. Security forces are combing nearby forests in a bid to rescue the abducted students.
Authorities noted that the school had ignored government instructions to close boarding schools after intelligence reports indicated a high risk of attacks. This warning came amid a wave of violent incidents targeting educational and religious institutions in the region.
Earlier this week, 25 schoolgirls were abducted from a boarding school in Kebbi state. In another incident in Kwara state, 38 churchgoers were kidnapped, with gunmen demanding a ransom of 100 million naira (approximately $69,000) per person. Kebbi, Kwara, and Niger states share borders, highlighting the growing threat in this corridor.
The escalating attacks have drawn international attention. U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened swift military action if Nigeria failed to address the killings of Christians. In response, Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth met Nigeria’s national security advisor to discuss the persecution of Christians, though Nigerian authorities maintain that claims of religious persecution are exaggerated.
The wave of kidnappings forced President Bola Tinubu to cancel official trips to South Africa and Angola, where he was expected to attend a G20 summit and an African Union-European Union summit.
As security forces continue their rescue operations, the nation watches anxiously, hoping for the safe return of the abducted students and teachers.
