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Nigeria on Edge: Second Mass School Kidnapping This Week as Armed Men Abduct Pupils from St. Mary’s

Police say an unknown number of Catholic boarding students were kidnapped from St. Mary’s School in Papiri, central Nigeria, marking the second major abduction of schoolchildren in one week. Officials say the school reopened despite a state order closing boarding institutions amid rising security threats. The attacks follow the seizure of more than 20 girls in Kebbi State and occur amid ongoing violence involving extremist and criminal groups. President Bola Tinubu has ordered urgent security action and suspended Nigeria’s planned attendance at upcoming international summits.

04:07 AM, 11/22/2025Security
Nigeria on Edge: Second Mass School Kidnapping This Week as Armed Men Abduct Pupils from St. Mary’s

An unknown number of Catholic boarding students were abducted on Friday when armed assailants attacked St. Mary’s School in Papiri, central Nigeria, police said. The incident is the second large-scale school kidnapping reported in the country this week.

According to local authorities, the attackers—described by officials as "bandits"—stormed the school and forced pupils out of their dormitories before taking them away. State officials said St. Mary’s had reopened despite a standing order to keep boarding schools closed across much of the state because of escalating security threats.

Earlier in the week, more than 20 schoolgirls were seized from another boarding school in neighboring Kebbi State. The two incidents highlight a surge in attacks on educational institutions that has alarmed communities and prompted government warnings.

Niger State, where St. Mary’s is located, is the country’s largest by area. Officials criticized the school for resuming operations without notifying or obtaining clearance from the state government, saying the decision exposed pupils and staff to avoidable risk.

President Bola Tinubu: "I have directed our security agencies to respond with urgency, clarity, and decisive action. Our forces need the full cooperation of every community. Sharing information can save lives and protect our children."

The kidnappings take place against a backdrop of prolonged conflict with Islamist extremist groups such as ISWAP and Boko Haram, as well as clashes involving criminal militias and armed gangs. Boko Haram is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.

President Tinubu said the government is intensifying security operations and announced that Nigeria would suspend plans to participate in upcoming international summits as authorities focus on the unrest. Police and security forces are continuing investigations and coordinating search efforts to locate the abducted students and bring them to safety.

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