On Friday, over 300 schoolchildren were reportedly kidnapped from a Catholic school in Nigeria, marking one of the nation’s most severe mass abductions.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), a nationwide coalition of Christian groups, stated that armed individuals assaulted St. Mary’s Catholic school in Niger state, taking 303 students and 12 teachers, including both males and females of diverse ages.
This incident concluded a week characterized by similar kidnappings across Nigeria, affecting both Christians and Muslims, with some seemingly driven by financial motives. Local media reported that earlier in the week, on Monday, students were kidnapped from a school in Kebbi during an armed assault that led to the death of the school’s Vice Principal. Additionally, 64 individuals were abducted from their residences in Zamfara state, adjacent to Kebbi.
The following day, a live stream showed a gunman attacking a church in Kwara State, resulting in two fatalities and more than 30 individuals being kidnapped and unaccounted for. A church official informed Reuters that the abductors were seeking approximately $69,000 in ransom for each person.
These attacks occurred merely weeks after Donald Trump threatened to send forces “guns-a-blazing” to Nigeria, following reports of assaults on Christians in the West African country.
These recent assaults targeting Christians are expected to intensify pressure on the Nigerian government and could prompt the Trump Administration to consider more direct intervention in the nation.
Should it be confirmed, the Niger attack would surpass the 2014 mass abduction of 276 schoolgirls by the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram, an event that sparked international condemnation and a global effort for their release.
However, experts suggest that the surge in abductions stems from intricate motivations that are not exclusively religious. A report from the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, published last year, highlighted a significant rise in kidnappings by “criminal gangs,” locally referred to as “bandits.” The report indicated these groups have begun targeting schools, as it “increases the possibility of government ransom payments, which are more substantial than what can be cobbled together by individual ransoms.” Experts also state that schools are frequently targeted due to their inadequate security.
According to Reuters, Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, the CAN chairman for Niger state in northern Nigeria, issued a statement saying his organization is “working with the government and security agencies to see that our children are rescued and brought back safely.”
‘It took everybody by surprise’
Dominic Adamu, a woman whose daughters attend the school but were not kidnapped, conveyed to the BBC that “Everybody is weak… it took everybody by surprise.” Another woman, whose six- and thirteen-year-old nieces were abducted, told the same news outlet, “I just want them to come home.”
Although no group has claimed accountability for the kidnapping, Friday’s mass abduction underscores a broader pattern of extremist-led kidnappings in the region. This incident marks the third such assault in Nigeria within a single week, as authorities are deployed to locate and rescue the abducted individuals.
Following the abductions, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu canceled his participation in the G20 summit in South Africa.
Addressing the Monday attacks, prior to the Niger abductions, Tinubu stated he was “fully apprised of the recent uptick in violent extremism in pockets across the country, and I have directed our security agencies to respond with urgency, clarity, and decisive action.”
“I am also distressed that merciless terrorists have interrupted the education of innocent schoolgirls. I have directed the security agencies to act swiftly and bring the girls back to Kebbi State,” he added.
He further emphasized, “Our forces require the full cooperation of every community. Sharing information can save lives and protect our children.”
Niger State Governor Umaru Bago announced that all schools in Niger state have been closed following a meeting with security officials in Minna.
Bago stated, “It is the decision of stakeholders today to close all schools in Niger state. All schools in Niger are closed till further notice. Therefore, we have declared Christmas holiday for all primary and secondary schools in Niger state.”
‘A country of particular concern’
On November 2, Donald Trump instructed his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to ready for “possible action” in Nigeria if assaults against Christians persisted.
Trump stated, through his social media account, that “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” urging the Nigerian government to “act fast.”
The Trump Administration categorized Nigeria as “a country of particular concern,” with Trump asserting that “Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.” Conversely, Nigeria’s President countered this designation, stating it “does not reflect our national reality.”
Although Nigeria has a documented history of dealing with insurgencies from jihadist groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State, official statistics confirm that a greater number of Muslims have been victims of violence than Christians, “despite Boko Haram’s murderous hostility to Christians.”
Nevertheless, it has been asserted that in Nigeria, a nation with a relatively even division between Muslim and Christian populations, violence impacts both groups “in large numbers.”
Noted U.S. rapper Nicki Minaj has become a prominent advocate for Trump’s focus on the challenges faced by Christians in Nigeria. This week, she addressed a special U.N. event titled “Combating Christian Violence and the Killing of Christians in Nigeria.”
In her Tuesday speech, Minaj stated, “Churches have been burned, families have been torn apart… simply because of how they pray.”
The assault on St. Mary’s School occurred concurrently with meetings held in the United States this week, where Nigerian officials, including National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, were engaged with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.
