CRBC News
Culture
Society
Security
Health
Conflict
Science
Technology
Politics
Environment
Lifestyle
Economy

Some St. Mary's Pupils as Young as Five Among Hundreds Kidnapped in Nigeria, Nun Says

A nun said that many of the 303 pupils abducted from St. Mary's School in Papiri included children as young as five. Fifty students aged 10–18 escaped by fleeing into the bush; 253 pupils and 12 teachers remain missing. No group has claimed responsibility and security teams with local trackers are searching for the captives. Sister Mary Barron called for a coordinated, well‑resourced rescue effort and expressed cautious hope for the children's recovery.

02:01 AM, 11/26/2025Conflict
Some St. Mary's Pupils as Young as Five Among Hundreds Kidnapped in Nigeria, Nun Says

Many of the 303 pupils abducted from St. Mary's School in the Papiri community were very young — some as young as five — according to Sister Mary Barron, superior general of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles (OLA). The attack took place on Friday and has left families and communities urgently seeking information about the whereabouts of the children and staff.

School officials reported that 50 students, aged between 10 and 18, managed to escape their captors individually between Friday and Saturday. Those students escaped by jumping over a perimeter wall and making their way into surrounding bushland, where they walked until they found safety.

“In this part of the world where there's limited access to education, parents send children to boarding school from nursery. So many of the missing are primary-school children — they are tiny,” Sister Mary Barron said.

Authorities say 253 pupils and 12 teachers remain unaccounted for. No group has publicly claimed responsibility for the raid. Security units, supported by local trackers and community volunteers, have been deployed to search for the abducted children, but the exact location of the captives is still unknown.

Sister Barron urged a coordinated and well-resourced response to the crisis, expressing cautious hope that a concerted effort could lead to the children's rescue.

This incident comes amid a wider pattern of attacks on schools and Christian institutions in parts of the country. The United States has previously designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” over violence targeting religious communities, a designation that authorities in Nigeria have questioned.

What we know

Number abducted: 303 pupils from St. Mary's School (Papiri).
Escaped: 50 students, ages roughly 10–18.
Still missing: 253 pupils and 12 teachers.
Responsibility: No group has claimed the attack.

Immediate needs

Rescue teams and local communities need coordination, reliable intelligence, and logistical support to locate and recover the captives safely. Families and local leaders are continuing to call for swift action and clear communication from authorities.

Similar Articles

Trending