New Wave of Terror: 315 Catholic Students and Teachers Kidnapped at Nigerian Boarding School

 A violent armed attack struck the Catholic boarding school St. Mary’s in the remote community of Papiri, in Niger State, Nigeria. What initially appeared to be a tragic figure of 227 abducted people, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), quickly rose to 315 after a verification and internal census process.

This attack highlights the ongoing vulnerability of Christian institutions in rural areas and underscores a broader security crisis that threatens religious freedom and the right of young people to an education free from fear.

Following verification, CAN confirmed that 303 students and 12 teachers were abducted from St. Mary’s boarding school. 

Initially, a lower number had been reported (around 215 students), but the final count revealed that at least 88 students who appeared to have escaped had also been captured. Among those kidnapped are both boys and girls, aged between 10 and 18.

The boarding school has a total enrollment of 629 students: 430 in primary and 199 in secondary.

The attackers, described as “armed bandits,” arrived on campus around 2:00 a.m., according to police and local statements.

During the assault, one school security guard was seriously injured. Authorities immediately launched an operation involving tactical police units, military personnel, and local hunters to track down and rescue the hostages.

 

The Nigerian government responded by ordering the preventive closure of 41 boarding schools, particularly in states considered high-risk (Niger, Kebbi, Plateau, and Benue).

The Secretary to the Niger State Government, Abubakar Usman, expressed “deep sadness” and acknowledged that the school had reopened without coordinating with local authorities, thereby exposing students and teachers to an “avoidable” risk.

In a statement from the Diocese of Kontagora (which owns the school), it was questioned whether the school had actually received an official closure order: according to its leaders, no such official communication had been received.

This attack comes amid a new wave of school abductions in Nigeria. Just days earlier, 25 girls were kidnapped from a school in Kebbi State.

 

Unlike some ideologically motivated kidnappings, this type of assault is largely attributed to “bandits” — criminal gangs not necessarily linked to terrorist groups but operating primarily for financial gain.

The frequency of these attacks reveals deep institutional weaknesses, both in school protection and in crime prevention in rural areas.

This mass kidnapping of Catholic students and teachers is more than just another violent episode: it is a stark reminder of the religious and educational security crisis shaking Nigeria.

In a country where many Christian boarding schools have already been targeted, this violence not only destroys innocent lives but undermines the foundations of religious freedom and the right to safe education.

 

It is essential to denounce the persecution of faith communities, especially when they are in a vulnerable position.

While the government orders preventive closures, reacting after the fact is not enough: a robust strategy, international action, and governmental accountability are needed to ensure that Christian children can return to school without fear and that those responsible are brought to justice.

This cannot become another forgotten story. Every abducted child and teacher represents an urgent call to defend human dignity and religious freedom.