Over 227 students and teachers abducted from Catholic school in Nigeria amid surge in coordinated attacks

Nigeria: More than 227 students and teachers were seized by armed militants during an attack on a Catholic school in northwestern Nigeria on Friday, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

This incident marks the most significant mass abduction of schoolchildren since over 200 students were taken in Kaduna state in March 2024. Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, who heads the CAN chapter in Niger state, confirmed that he visited the affected institution and gathered information from officials at the scene.

He noted that a handful of students managed to escape during the assault, though further details were not immediately available.

“Based on the information we have compiled, 215 children and students, along with 12 staff members, were taken by the attackers,” Yohanna said in an official statement.

Authorities earlier acknowledged the kidnapping at St. Mary’s School in Niger state but did not release any figures, making CAN’s data the first detailed estimate.

Security conditions in Nigeria have come under renewed global attention after U.S. President Donald Trump warned of swift military action if the Nigerian government fails to curb the killing of Christians. On Thursday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on X that he had held discussions with Nigeria’s national security adviser regarding growing concerns over the safety of Christian communities.

Nigeria’s government, however, maintains that allegations of systematic persecution of Christians are exaggerated and do not reflect the broader reality.

Following Friday’s attack, security forces launched search operations in forested areas surrounding the school in an effort to track down the abductors and rescue the hostages.

The Niger state government later revealed that the Catholic school had disregarded directives to suspend boarding activities due to intelligence warnings of potential attacks.

Friday’s mass abduction comes amid a wave of violent incidents this week, including the kidnapping of 25 girls from a boarding school in Kebbi state on Monday and an attack on a church in Kwara state, where 38 worshippers were reportedly abducted. The abductors in the church attack have allegedly demanded a ransom of 100 million naira (about $69,000) per person.

The surge in assaults prompted Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to cancel planned trips to South Africa and Angola, where he was scheduled to participate in the G20 and AU–EU summits.

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