In a horrifying incident that has shocked the nation, armed gunmen abducted over 200 pupils and 12 teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School, a boarding institution in the Papiri community of Niger State. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed the abduction and said efforts are underway to secure the safe return of the victims.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Friday. Initial reports indicated that 215 students and 12 teachers were taken, but later verification by CAN’s Niger State chapter raised the figure to 303 schoolchildren. During the raid, a security guard was seriously wounded, according to the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora.
St. Mary’s Catholic School is officially a secondary school, but satellite imagery shows the campus is attached to a primary school and has more than 50 classroom and dormitory buildings. The compound is located near a major road connecting Yelwa and Mokwa, making it easily accessible to attackers. CAN leaders claim there were prior intelligence warnings about increased security threats. In a strongly worded statement, the Niger State government noted that the school had resumed academic activities without seeking official clearance, exposing students and staff to heightened risk. Locals said there was no formal police presence at the school, only local security arrangements.
The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora condemned the “painful and disturbing” abduction and said it was working closely with security forces, traditional leaders, and government officials to rescue the missing students and teachers. The Niger State government confirmed that security operatives, including military forces, had been deployed to pursue the abductors. Authorities have also shut down several federal unity colleges in conflict-prone regions as a precaution. President Bola Tinubu canceled a scheduled foreign trip amid the crisis, sending Vice President Kashim Shettima in his place.
This kidnapping is not an isolated incident. Days earlier, 25 students were abducted from a girls’ school in Kebbi State, and elsewhere in Nigeria, worshippers have been targeted in church abductions. Analysts note a growing pattern of armed gangs, often referred to as bandits, targeting schools, especially in remote or poorly secured areas, primarily to extract ransom or make political statements. International attention has been drawn to the situation, with some observers framing the violence as part of broader attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria.
The human toll is devastating. Families of the kidnapped are distraught, with one grandfather, Dauda Chekula, reporting that four of his grandchildren, aged seven to ten, were among those taken. Some students managed to escape, but many remain unaccounted for. The Catholic Diocese has called on the public to pray for a swift resolution and is urging coordinated efforts for the rescue.
Security forces are combing surrounding forests and likely routes to find the abductors. The government’s response and rescue effort are being closely watched, both nationally and internationally, as a measure of its ability to protect vulnerable communities. Meanwhile, the tragedy has intensified calls for stronger security measures around schools, particularly in regions prone to violent crime and gang activity.
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