Hope and Heartache: Families Wait as Over 300 Children Are Abducted From Nigerian Boarding School

Hope And Heartache After Mass Abduction At St Mary's, Papiri

Samaila Livinus has kept his anguish private, holding himself together as he waits for news of his five-year-old son — one of more than 300 pupils taken from their dormitories in what officials describe as one of Nigeria's largest school kidnappings.

Two weeks on, emotions remain raw but families say they have not yet lost hope that the children will be freed. Livinus, a 44-year-old maize and beans farmer who lives in Minna about 500 kilometres from Papiri, described the strain on his household: his wife cannot eat and their other children — aged nine and three — keep asking where their brother is.

“Sometimes you try not to cry. You try to calm ... to control the family,” Livinus said, explaining how he hides his pain to prevent his wife breaking down.

Armed gangs stormed St Mary's Catholic boarding school in the remote village of Papiri, Niger State, on November 21. School officials say about 50 children managed to escape and return home, while roughly 265 people — pupils, teachers and staff — remain in captivity. Security sources say the captors' location has been identified and negotiations are under way.

Livinus told AFP the ordeal has caused him "serious psychological trauma." He is especially worried because his son is on medication for a medical condition. A friend of his whose two children were also abducted reportedly died from cardiac complications in the days after the attack.

To cope, Livinus has turned to prayer and fasting, reciting the rosary several times daily and receiving well-wishers at his home. Despite his inner turmoil he presents a calm exterior: neat clothing, a quiet smile and the composure of a father trying to support his family through uncertainty.

On Monday, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu flew to Kontagora to meet the bishop and school officials. Ribadu told them the children were safe and expected to return soon. Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna said the reassurance brought families some relief: “He came and assured us that the children are safe. They are all in good condition. So, it's a matter of time.”

The November 21 abduction sent shockwaves across Nigeria. The country has seen hundreds of mass kidnappings in recent years as armed gangs target vulnerable communities for ransom, often operating in poorly policed rural areas. The attack has intensified national alarm and drawn international attention.

What Families Are Facing

Parents and communities are living in a state of trauma and uncertainty: enduring sleepless nights, psychological strain and deep concern for children's health and safety while officials pursue negotiations and rescue efforts.