Children and Teachers Abducted in Nigeria School Attack
Gunmen attacked St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Nigeria, abducting 303 children and 12 teachers. Initial reports suggested 52 victims, but the number quickly rose as officials conducted a verification process.
Most. Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Niger state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), confirmed the updated figures after visiting the school. The kidnapped students, ranging in age from 10 to 18, are both male and female.
No group has taken responsibility for the attack, and local authorities are currently working with tactical squads and hunters to rescue the kidnapped individuals. Following the incident, the state government claimed St. Mary’s School had reopened, despite fears of further attacks. However, Yohanna disputed this information, stating that no official notice was given to the school community.
This incident follows another similar attack earlier in the week, where armed assailants kidnapped 25 girls from a boarding school in Nigeria’s Kebbi State, resulting in the death of at least one staff member. The search for the abducted girls is ongoing.
Nigeria has faced a severe wave of violence against Christians and their institutions in recent years. The U.S. government, under President Donald Trump, identified Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” due to these attacks. This stance has been contested by Nigerian officials.
At a recent event by the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, the ongoing violence against Christians was described as “genocide wearing the mask of chaos.” Rap artist Nicki Minaj participated in the discussion, advocating for religious freedom for everyone.
The situation in Nigeria remains precarious, with many communities living in fear of similar attacks.
