Over 200 Students Kidnapped in Nigeria as School Attacks Surge

In a shocking incident on Friday, armed gunmen kidnapped more than 200 students from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, central Nigeria. The attack occurred in the early hours, around 2:00 a.m. local time, targeting the boarding school despite government warnings to keep schools closed due to increasing security risks. Along with the students, 12 staff members were also abducted.

This is the second major school kidnapping in Nigeria this week. Earlier, over 20 schoolgirls were abducted from a boarding school in Kebbi State, in the country’s north-west. The region has faced a surge in attacks by armed gangs, locally known as bandits, who often kidnap children for ransom.

Residents of Papiri expressed fear and anxiety as families waited for news of the missing students. Dominic Adamu, a local resident whose daughters attend St. Mary’s, said, “Everybody is weak… it took everybody by surprise.” Another woman tearfully shared that her six- and thirteen-year-old nieces were among the abducted.

Authorities in Niger State stated that the school had ignored official orders to keep boarding facilities closed after receiving intelligence warnings about a high risk of attacks. The government criticized the school for resuming academic activities without clearance, saying it exposed pupils and staff to avoidable danger.

President Bola Tinubu has postponed foreign trips, including this weekend’s G20 summit in South Africa, to address the growing security crisis. Police and security agencies are reportedly combing forests and nearby areas to rescue the kidnapped students.

The attacks are part of broader security challenges in Nigeria, which include clashes between herders and farmers, violent jihadist groups in the north-east, and frequent kidnappings for ransom. While US officials have raised concerns about violence against Christians, the Nigerian government says the attacks affect people of all religions and are primarily carried out by criminal gangs seeking ransom.

Earlier this week, two of the schoolgirls kidnapped in Kebbi State managed to escape, while 23 remain missing. In a related attack on a church in Kwara State, two people were killed, and 38 were abducted. Local reports suggest the kidnappers have demanded ransom payments, though paying ransoms is officially banned to reduce criminal activity.

The situation has heightened fears across the country, leaving parents, students, and communities anxious for the safe return of the kidnapped children.