Unknown gunmen have abducted 215 schoolchildren and 12 teachers from a Catholic school in central Nigeria, marking the second mass school abduction in the country in a week. The incident occurred in the Papiri community of Niger state, with the Niger State Police Command confirming that military and security forces have been deployed to the area.
Abubakar Usman, the state government secretary, expressed deep sadness over the kidnapping of pupils from St Mary's School in Agwara local government area. Dauda Chekula, 62, said four of his grandchildren, aged seven to ten, were among those taken. 'We don't know what is happening now, because we have not heard anything since this morning,' he told the Associated Press.
The abduction comes amid heightened tensions following Donald Trump's threat to intervene militarily in Nigeria over alleged 'Christian genocide', a claim the Nigerian government denies. On Monday, gunmen abducted 25 schoolgirls from a boarding school in neighbouring Kebbi state, killing the vice-principal. Security forces had reportedly left the scene just 30 minutes before the attack.
No group has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings, but analysts say gangs often target schools for ransom. Nigeria is grappling with multiple security crises, including attacks by extremist groups and clashes between herders and farmers. The latest kidnapping is the third documented mass school abduction in Niger state in the last decade.
