Gunmen on motorbikes reportedly abducted dozens of children from a Catholic boarding school in Papiri village, Niger state, northern Nigeria, on Friday morning.
A father, identified as Theo for safety, reported witnessing the abduction of his son and other children. He stated he was asleep when he heard noise as the gunmen, estimated to be on approximately 50 motorcycles, passed his residence with the abducted children. Theo described the children being moved on foot, with some falling and being instructed to stand up. He indicated he did not intervene, citing his inability to stop the abduction, and reported calling the police after the event.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) stated that 303 students and 12 staff members were taken from St Mary's school. CAN also reported that 50 of the abducted children had escaped and reunited with their families. Police, however, confirmed only a few escapes on the night of the abduction and could not verify the figure of 50 additional escapes. Niger state governor Umar Bago stated to local media that the number of abducted students was "far, far below" 303, suggesting an exaggeration.
Governor Bago attributed part of the blame to school authorities for operating the institution despite reported threats four years prior and again two months ago. He stated that schools in that area had been closed for four years and expressed surprise that St Mary's was still open. The Governor asserted that the incident was a "scare" and anticipated the rescue of all students.
Parents, including Theo, have reportedly gathered near the school, expressing dissatisfaction with the government's response. Theo stated that the state governor had not visited the school but had visited a nearby community to engage with security agencies and local leaders. Parents described feeling abandoned by the government. Another parent, Lucas, reported the abduction of two of his children, with a third, a six-year-old boy, reportedly escaping.
The northern part of Niger state, including Papiri, has recently experienced an increase in kidnappings for ransom. A law prohibiting ransom payments has been enacted to disrupt funding for criminal groups, though its effectiveness has been limited. The BBC team, traveling approximately 500km to Papiri, received advice to avoid certain routes and was escorted by police for parts of the journey.
Niger state is Nigeria's largest by landmass, exceeding the size of countries like Denmark and the Netherlands. Its extensive forests are reportedly utilized by criminal gangs, locally known as bandits, as camps and routes connecting to other Nigerian states and neighboring countries.
This incident marks the third abduction in Nigeria within a week. The previous Monday, over 20 schoolgirls, identified as Muslim, were abducted from a boarding school in Kebbi state, bordering Niger. Additionally, a church in Kwara state experienced an attack resulting in two fatalities and the abduction of dozens of worshippers.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu canceled a scheduled trip to the G20 summit in South Africa to address the security situation. He announced on social media that all 38 worshippers abducted in Kwara state had been rescued. The frequency of abductions has led to the closure of multiple boarding schools across Nigeria, with parents collecting their children.
US President Donald Trump reportedly stated earlier in the month that he would deploy troops to Nigeria if the country "continues to allow the killing of Christians" by Islamist militants. The Nigerian government has stated that claims of Christian persecution constitute a "gross misrepresentation of reality," asserting that "terrorists attack all who reject their murderous ideology - Muslims, Christians and those of no faith alike." While some kidnappings are attributed to Islamist militant groups, many are carried out by criminal gangs for ransom, contributing to a significant security crisis in the country.