Last updated on November 24th, 2025 at 07:23 am
Gunmen abducted at least 227 students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic boarding school in Niger state, northwest Nigeria, on Friday, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The attack targeted 215 pupils and 12 educators, marking the largest mass school kidnapping since over 200 students were taken in Kaduna state in March 2024. Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, CAN chairman in Niger, confirmed the numbers after visiting the site, while some students managed to escape during the raid.
In the church attack, gunmen demanded 100 million naira ($69,000) per victim as ransom, highlighting the brazen tactics of criminal groups operating across these border regions. In response to the escalating threats, authorities nationwide ordered the closure of 47 colleges to safeguard students. President Bola Tinubu canceled planned trips to the G20 summit in South Africa and an African Union-European Union summit in Angola, prioritizing the domestic security crisis.
The surge in kidnappings has intensified international scrutiny on Nigeria’s security apparatus, particularly regarding the persecution of Christians. U.S. President Donald Trump recently threatened swift military intervention if the Nigerian government fails to curb the killings of Christians, a claim disputed by Abuja as a misrepresentation of the situation. On Thursday, U.S. Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth held high-level talks with Nigeria’s national security advisor in the first such meeting since the threat, aiming to address the concerns.