In a shocking escalation of violence, more than 300 students and teachers were abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State, Nigeria, triggering deep security fears across the country. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed on Saturday that 303 pupils, aged between eight and 18, along with 12 staff members, were taken in what is being described as one of the largest school kidnappings in recent years.
The incident occurred early Friday at the co-educational boarding school in the Papiri community. Witnesses and CAN officials say the attackers struck aggressively, operating “without interruption for nearly three hours” and moving through dormitories before escaping. A distraught staff member, captured on a video shared by CAN, described hearing motorcycles and cars before “bang, bang” echoed across the gates, followed by the sound of children crying.
CAN had initially reported 227 people missing but revised the figure following a verification exercise. Nearly half of St. Mary’s student population — which totals 629 — is believed to have been caught up in the raid.
The abduction follows a similar attack earlier in the week in neighbouring Kebbi State, where 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped from a secondary school. In response to the growing threat, Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago announced a temporary shutdown of all schools in his state, and nearby regions have taken similar precautionary steps.
National authorities have also reacted strongly: the education ministry has directed the closure of 47 boarding secondary schools across Nigeria, and President Bola Tinubu has cancelled his international engagements—including attendance at the G20 summit—to manage the crisis.
Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has urged “urgent and enduring action” from Nigerian authorities, following remarks by former US President Donald Trump warning of possible intervention over violence against Christians in Nigeria.
The massacre has reopened painful memories of past mass kidnappings, including the notorious Chibok girls’ abduction more than a decade ago, when nearly 300 schoolgirls were taken by Boko Haram.
Long-standing criminal gangs described as “bandits”—mainly in Nigeria’s northwest and central regions—are believed to be behind the attack. These groups often operate from forest hideouts and carry out high-profile kidnappings for ransom, according to security analysts. Their growing alignment with jihadist elements from the country’s northeast is raising further concern among authorities.
