Dozens Abducted from St. Mary's Boarding School in Niger State as Kidnappings Surge

Armed men raided St. Mary's Catholic boarding school in Niger State early Friday, abducting pupils and staff in an attack that adds to a growing wave of school kidnappings across Nigeria. Local media reported that about 52 students were taken, though officials have not confirmed an exact number. Military and security forces were deployed to the area after the assault.

St. Mary's is a secondary school serving children aged 12 to 17. Abubakar Usman, secretary to the Niger State government, said the attack occurred despite prior intelligence warning of heightened threats and criticised the school for reopening without seeking clearance from the state government, arguing that the decision exposed pupils and staff to unnecessary risk.

The raid came days after gunmen abducted 25 schoolgirls from a high school in neighbouring Kebbi State; one of those girls later escaped and was reported safe. In response to the recent kidnappings, President Bola Tinubu postponed a planned trip to the Group of 20 summit and ordered security agencies to intensify rescue efforts.

"I am heartbroken by the abduction of our daughters in Kebbi," Tinubu said, adding that he had directed security agencies to act swiftly to bring the girls home and to strengthen operations against those who perpetrate such crimes.

The incidents have drawn heightened international attention. Former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly accused the Nigerian government of allowing persecution of Christians and warned of possible suspension of aid or more forceful measures. Nigeria's foreign minister, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, strongly rejected those claims, stressing that Nigeria respects religious tolerance and inclusion.

No group has claimed responsibility for the recent attacks in Niger and Kebbi states. Analysts and local residents say the kidnappings are often carried out by criminal gangs and armed bandits who target schools, travellers and remote villages to demand ransom. These bands are frequently described as groups formed in part by former herders who took up arms after violent clashes with farming communities over scarce resources.

Kidnappings from schools have become a recurring and traumatic feature of insecurity in Nigeria. Authorities estimate that at least 1,500 students have been abducted in the wider region since the Chibok abductions more than a decade ago, though many more recent incidents are attributed to criminal gangs rather than jihadi groups. Observers point to weak prosecution, corruption, and limited resources for security forces as factors that allow kidnappers to operate with impunity.

Location and ongoing response

A satellite view of St. Mary's shows a rectangular, walled compound attached to an adjoining primary school, with more than 50 classroom and dormitory buildings on the outskirts of the town of Aguara, near the Yelwa–Mokwa road. Security operations and search-and-rescue efforts remain ongoing as authorities investigate and attempt to recover the abducted pupils and staff.

The situation remains fluid, and officials have urged calm while promising intensified operations to secure the release of those taken and to prevent further attacks on schools and communities.