Nigeria is reeling from another massive school kidnapping, the second in just one week, as armed militants stormed a Catholic school in the country’s central region and abducted 315 people — including 303 students and 12 teachers. The attack has triggered a wave of panic across the country and forced authorities to shut down schools in multiple states.
A Nation Shocked as Kidnapping Toll Climbs
The Christian Association of Nigeria confirmed the updated number Saturday after verifying the identities of the abducted. The victims were taken from St. Mary’s School in Niger State, where gunmen overpowered local security and seized nearly half of the school’s enrolled girls — a staggering 303 out of 629.
This comes only days after militants kidnapped 25 girls from a secondary school in Kebbi State, highlighting a rapidly escalating security crisis.
Widespread School Closures as Fear Spreads
Authorities in nearby Katsina and Plateau states immediately ordered the closure of all schools, fearing additional coordinated attacks. The Nigerian federal government has already shuttered numerous institutions as kidnappings continue to surge in the country’s northern and central regions.
President Bola Tinubu cancelled all international travel plans — including his participation at the G20 summit in Johannesburg — to address the emergency, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
A Country Divided, Violence Unrelenting
Nigeria has long struggled with extremist violence. The nation is sharply divided between the Christian-majority south and Muslim-majority north, and has for years been plagued by jihadist insurgencies, mass killings, and kidnappings. Armed gangs frequently target villages, churches, mosques, and schools — often kidnapping girls for ransom or forced marriages.
Security analysts warn that these coordinated school abductions show militant groups are becoming more organized, more emboldened, and increasingly brutal in their tactics.
Government Under Pressure
Families of the abducted are demanding swift action and military intervention. Human rights groups are urging the government to increase protection for schools, accusing Abuja of failing to stop attacks that have become tragically routine.
With more than 300 lives hanging in the balance, Nigeria faces one of its most urgent national security challenges in years — and the world is watching closely.