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Armed attack on Catholic boarding school leaves hundreds missing
Armed men on motorcycles stormed a Catholic boarding school in northern Nigeria early Friday, abducting at least 303 students and 12 staff members, according to school officials and witnesses. The attack, which targeted St. Mary's school in Papiri village, Niger state, unfolded as residents slept, with gunmen herding children on foot while riding roughly 50 motorbikes, a father of one abducted boy told the BBC.
Eyewitness account: 'They treated them like livestock'
The father, identified only as Theo for safety reasons, described seeing the children forced to march under threat. "They were being trafficked on foot the way shepherds control their herds," he said. "Some children fell, and the men would kick them, shouting at them to stand up." Theo, who lives near the school, said he heard the commotion but feared intervening: "I thought about going to help, but what could I do? Even if I tried, it was already too late."
Police arrived after the abduction, Theo added, but by then the gunmen and their captives had vanished. The Christian Association of Nigeria, which oversees the school, confirmed 303 students and 12 staff were taken, while 50 children escaped and reunited with families. Authorities, however, disputed the toll: Niger state Governor Umar Bago called the figure "far, far below" 303 and accused school leaders of ignoring prior threats.
"The schools in that area have been closed for four years now. I was surprised to learn the school is still open."
Umar Bago, Niger state governor
Parents demand action as officials downplay crisis
Frustration mounted among families camping outside the empty school. Theo criticized the government's response, noting Governor Bago had not visited the site but met security forces in a nearby community. "Our children were kidnapped, but the government doesn't seem to care," he said. "We feel abandoned-like we're not even part of this country."
A mother, whose only son was among the abducted, pleaded for help: "My whole life is sadness. He's my firstborn-please, help us." Another parent, Lucas, recounted the relief of finding his six-year-old son, who had evaded capture: "When I saw him, I called his name. He ran to me, and I hugged him tight."
Security vacuum in Nigeria's kidnapping hotspot
The abduction marks the third school attack in Nigeria this week. On Monday, over 20 Muslim schoolgirls were seized in neighboring Kebbi state, while a church raid in Kwara state left two dead and 38 worshippers kidnapped (later rescued, per President Bola Tinubu). The president canceled his G20 summit trip to address the crisis, vowing in a Sunday statement: "Every Nigerian has the right to safety-and under my watch, we will secure this nation."
Systemic failures fuel ransom kidnappings
Niger state's vast, forested terrain-larger than Denmark and the Netherlands combined-provides cover for criminal gangs, locally called "bandits," who use the area to traffic victims across borders. Despite a ban on ransom payments, the practice persists, funding further abductions. The BBC reported traveling 500 km (310 miles) to Papiri under police escort, avoiding routes deemed too dangerous.
Pressure on Nigeria's government has intensified, including from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened military intervention unless attacks on Christians cease. Nigerian officials reject claims of religious persecution, stating extremists target "all who reject their murderous ideology-Muslims, Christians, and those of no faith alike."
Boarding schools shutter as fear spreads
Parents across Nigeria are pulling children from boarding schools amid the surge in abductions. The crisis underscores deep security failures, with criminal gangs and Islamist militants exploiting weak governance. Bishop Bulus Bawa Yohanna, who runs St. Mary's, said no security forces had been deployed to Papiri since the attack. "We are alone," he told the BBC.
