Over 300 students abducted from Catholic school in Nigeria

Armed assailants have abducted more than three hundred students from a private Catholic school in Niger State, located in north-central Nigeria. The attack took place at dawn on Friday at a school named Saint Mary’s. Authorities say this is one of the largest mass abductions in recent times.

The Christian Association of Nigeria reported that 303 students and 12 teachers are missing. Although some students initially managed to escape, gunmen later captured an additional 88. The abducted students are aged between 10 and 18.

After meeting with parents following the attack, Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, Chairman of the Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, said: “This is a horrific incident. Children’s futures are at risk due to insecurity.”

Following the incident, several public and private schools in the northern region have been temporarily closed. Local police claim that security forces are conducting operations in the area and searching surrounding forested zones.

Nigeria has seen a renewed surge in school attacks and abductions. Earlier on Monday, more than 20 schoolgirls, all reportedly Muslim, were abducted from a boarding school in neighbouring Kebbi State.

In the southern Kwara State, a church was also attacked, leaving two people dead and 38 abducted.

A distraught woman said through tears that her two nieces, aged 6 and 13, had been taken. “I just want them to come home,” she said.

Ije Gloria Chidinma, a content creator and sister of one of the abducted students, said: “We are terrified. Honestly, we have no confidence in the authorities.”

Niger State authorities said that all residential educational institutions had been ordered to shut down after intelligence reports warned of heightened attack risks. However, Saint Mary’s did not comply with the directive.

“Unfortunately, they continued academic activities without notifying or obtaining permission from the state authorities, thereby putting students and staff at risk,” the statement said.