More than 200 students along with staff members were kidnapped from a Catholic boarding school in central Nigeria, marking the third major kidnapping in the country this week and prompting a massive security response.
The assault on St. Mary’s Secondary School in Agawara Local Government Area of Niger State occurred between 1:00 am and 3:00 am (local time) on Friday, November 21.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed that there were a total of 217 victims, including 215 students and 12 teachers.
A security guard was also shot during the invasion. While some students managed to escape.
The incident took place after the abduction of 25 girls from a Muslim boarding school in Kebbi State on Monday, November 17, and a separate attack on a church in Kwara State on Tuesday, November 18, where dozens were kidnapped.
To address the current security crisis, President Bola Tinubu has canceled all foreign trips to control the escalating violence.
State government officials revealed that the school received multiple intelligence warnings related to possible attacks, but was reopened.
Secretary to Government, Abubakar Usman, stated: “Unfortunately, St. Mary’s School sought to resume its academic activities without notifying or seeking permission from the state government.”
In response to the situation, officials ordered the closure of 47 federal boarding schools and deployed tactical police and military units to search for victims in nearby forests.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the latest incident, although criminal gangs known locally as “bandits” frequently attack schools for ransom.
The mass kidnapping shows the rise in such incidents since March 2024 and has intensified scrutiny of Nigeria’s security situation, especially following US President Donald Trump’s recent comments about possible military intervention in the country.
