Kidnapping of Students in Nigeria

Gunmen in Nigeria kidnapped numerous students and staff from a Catholic school early Friday, marking yet another attack against a Christian institution.

As reported by Arise TV, 52 children were abducted from St. Mary’s School, which is situated in the Papiri community within Agwara Local Government. The Secretary to the Niger State Government, Abubakar Usman, confirmed the incident but didn’t specify how many children were taken.

The Niger State Police Command stated they have deployed military and security personnel to the area where the attack occurred. Furthermore, it was noted that St. Mary’s School caters to students aged 12 to 17 years.

After the kidnapping, Usman condemned the incident, indicating that St. Mary’s University decided to reopen its doors despite prior warnings from security agencies regarding the escalating threat. Usman stated, “Unfortunately, St. Mary’s School proceeded to reopen without notifying or seeking permission from the provincial government, thereby exposing students and staff to avoidable risks.”

This incident at St. Mary’s follows an earlier event this week when armed individuals kidnapped 25 girls from a boarding school in Kebbi state, leading to the death of at least one staff member. Search efforts for the abducted students are currently ongoing.

Earlier this week, gunmen also attacked Christ the Apostle Church, resulting in the deaths of at least two individuals and the abduction of the pastor along with 38 worshippers. Video footage from the attack, verified by Reuters, shows armed men entering the church and robbing congregants as shots are fired. It was reported that the attackers demanded a ransom of 100 million naira (approximately $69,000) for each kidnapped individual.

The alarming frequency of attacks on Christians in Nigeria prompted President Trump to label the country as a “country of particular concern” for the persecution of Christians, although the Nigerian government contests this classification.

On Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Walz organized an event underlining the persistent violence in Nigeria, describing the killings of Christians there as “genocide disguised as chaos.” He remarked, “My people, our entire faith is being erased one bullet at a time, one burned Bible at a time.”

Rap star Nicki Minaj expressed gratitude to President Trump for addressing Christian persecution in Nigeria during her speaking engagement at this event. She remarked, “Families are torn apart and entire communities live in constant fear because of the way they pray.”