Armed men attacked St. Mary's Catholic boarding school in Niger State early Friday, abducting pupils and staff; a local broadcaster reported 52 students taken but officials have not confirmed a number. The school had reopened despite prior intelligence of increased risk, state officials said, and military forces have been deployed to search for the victims. The raid follows a separate abduction of 25 schoolgirls in neighbouring Kebbi State and has renewed domestic and international concern about insecurity and religiously charged violence in Nigeria. Authorities say criminal gangs and former herders often target schools for ransom, and at least 1,500 students have been kidnapped across the region in recent years.
Armed Men Kidnap Pupils and Staff from St. Mary's Boarding School in Niger State
Armed men attacked St. Mary's Catholic boarding school in Niger State early Friday, abducting pupils and staff; a local broadcaster reported 52 students taken but officials have not confirmed a number. The school had reopened despite prior intelligence of increased risk, state officials said, and military forces have been deployed to search for the victims. The raid follows a separate abduction of 25 schoolgirls in neighbouring Kebbi State and has renewed domestic and international concern about insecurity and religiously charged violence in Nigeria. Authorities say criminal gangs and former herders often target schools for ransom, and at least 1,500 students have been kidnapped across the region in recent years.
04:34 PM, 11/21/2025Security
Armed attackers struck St. Mary's Catholic boarding school in Niger State in the early hours of Friday, abducting a number of pupils and staff, local officials said. Authorities have not confirmed an exact total; a local broadcaster reported that 52 students were taken. Military and security forces have been deployed to the area as search and rescue operations continue.
Police describe St. Mary's as a secondary school serving children roughly between the ages of 12 and 17. Niger State secretary Abubakar Usman said the attack occurred despite prior intelligence warning of heightened risk, and criticised the school's decision to reopen without notifying or seeking clearance from the state government, saying this exposed "pupils and the staff to avoidable risk."
The abduction comes days after gunmen seized 25 schoolgirls from a high school in neighbouring Kebbi State; one of those girls later escaped, according to the school's principal. President Bola Tinubu postponed a planned trip to the Group of 20 summit and said he had directed security agencies to intensify rescue efforts. He also paid tribute to soldiers recently killed in the line of duty and offered prayers for the victims' families.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Niger and Kebbi states. Analysts and residents say criminal gangs and so-called bandits frequently target schools, travellers and remote communities to abduct people for ransom. Authorities have pointed to clashes over scarce resources that have driven some former herders to take up arms against farming communities.
Observers say the spate of kidnappings reflects long-standing weaknesses: limited prosecutions of perpetrators, corruption that undermines security provision, and inadequate equipment for security forces. At least 1,500 students have been abducted across the region since the mass abductions of more than a decade ago.
International attention has intensified amid broader concerns about religious freedom and violence in Nigeria. Former U.S. President Donald Trump recently accused Nigeria of allowing persecution of Christians and warned of possible suspension of aid or stronger action; Nigeria's foreign minister rejected those claims in a social media post, saying the country respects faith, tolerance and diversity. In October, the U.S. designated Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" on religious freedom grounds. This week, President Tinubu sent a delegation to Washington to engage U.S. officials about security and counterterrorism cooperation.
Satellite imagery shows St. Mary's compound is rectangular, enclosed by a wall and adjacent to a primary school, with more than 50 classroom and dormitory buildings. The campus sits on the outskirts of the town of Aguara, near the Yelwa–Mokwa road.
What authorities are doing
Security forces have been dispatched to the area and local officials say they are pursuing leads and coordinating rescue efforts. State authorities have urged calm while investigations continue.
Information remains fluid. Officials have not released a confirmed casualty or abduction count, and investigations are ongoing. Families and communities continue to press for the safe return of those taken.