Nigeria: More than 200 students and teachers were abducted on Friday when armed attackers raided a Catholic boarding school in western Nigeria, marking one of the largest mass kidnappings in recent years. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed that 215 children and 12 staff members were taken from St. Mary’s School in the Papiri community of Niger State’s Agwara local government area.
Daniel Atori, spokesperson for the state chapter of CAN, said the association is working closely with local leaders to secure the safe return of the victims. He added that he had met distressed parents at the school following the attack.
Police in Niger State said the gunmen struck in the early hours and fled with the captives into surrounding forest areas. Security and military units have since been deployed. St. Mary’s, identified as a secondary school, also shares a compound with a primary school, satellite imagery shows, with more than 50 classrooms and dormitories.
Local resident Dauda Chekula, whose four grandchildren aged 7 to 10 were abducted, said families had received no communication since the attack. He described scenes of chaos, noting that some children who managed to escape “ran back home in fear,” while others remained in the kidnappers’ custody.
A statement from the Niger state government revealed the school had reopened despite intelligence warnings of threats in the region. Officials criticised administrators for failing to seek clearance before resuming classes, leaving staff and students vulnerable.
Residents said that only informal community security arrangements were in place at the time of the attack. The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora confirmed that a security staff member was “badly shot” during the raid.
Authorities have responded by ordering the closure of 47 federal unity colleges, primarily located in northern states facing prolonged insecurity. These elite institutions draw students from across the country and are often targeted due to their size and limited protection.
The attack comes days after separate kidnappings in Kebbi and Kwara states, where gunmen abducted schoolgirls and churchgoers. In Kwara, kidnappers killed two worshippers and later demanded a ransom of 100 million naira (USD 69,000) per hostage.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu cancelled his planned trip to the G20 summit in South Africa following the growing unrest. Vice President Kashim Shettima, addressing the Kebbi attack earlier this week, vowed to use “every instrument of the state” to rescue victims and bring perpetrators to justice.
While no group has claimed responsibility, officials say most attacks are carried out by armed gangs—many of them former herders—who target schools, travellers and villages for ransom. Analysts note that Nigeria’s security crisis persists due to the lack of prosecution of known offenders and corruption that strengthens armed groups.
The latest kidnapping adds to a grim record. Since Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls in Chibok more than a decade ago, over 1,500 students have been kidnapped in northern Nigeria. Although Christians are sometimes targeted, experts say most victims are Muslims living in northern regions where violence is widespread.
Families of victims expressed despair and anger. Lagos-based influencer Eze Gloria Chidinma said her sister escaped the school by jumping a fence. She recounted that her mother and brother were also kidnapped last year, and that authorities offered little help even then. “People’s lives should matter,” she said, urging the government to act decisively.
Community leaders echoed her demand, calling for stronger protection around schools. “It’s as if they don’t care about the future of our children,” said Pastor Yohanna Buru, head of the Peace Revival And Reconciliation Foundation.
