A large-scale kidnapping incident has occurred in Nigeria, where over 300 children and staff members were abducted from a Catholic school. The Christian Association of Nigeria reported that gunmen raided St Mary’s School in central Nigeria and kidnapped 303 students and 12 teachers, contrary to the initial report of 215 pupils being taken. This abduction is part of a series of attacks by armed groups, locally known as bandits, who have a history of abducting individuals for ransom.
Local authorities mentioned that the armed men invaded the boarding school around 02:00 local time on Friday, taking both students and staff members. Police are currently conducting search operations in the forests to rescue the abducted individuals. Authorities in Niger state criticized the school for not adhering to a closure order for its boarding facilities, citing intelligence warnings of heightened security risks that were disregarded, potentially putting the students and staff in unnecessary danger. The school has not responded to these allegations.
The number of students abducted in this incident surpasses the notorious Chibok mass kidnapping of 2014, which garnered international attention and prompted a global campaign, championed by former US First Lady Michelle Obama, to secure the release of the 276 girls. This recent event follows a series of school attacks in Nigeria, including the abduction of over 20 schoolgirls in Kebbi state and an attack on a church in Kwara state where two individuals were killed, and 38 others were kidnapped. In response, the central government of Nigeria has ordered the closure of more than 40 federal colleges due to these escalating security concerns.