Abuja, Nov 22: Armed men attacked St. Mary’s Catholic boarding school in Papiri, Niger state, western Nigeria, early Friday, abducting several children and staff. Local media reported 52 students were taken, though officials have not confirmed the number.The attack occurred despite prior intelligence warnings, and authorities criticised the school for reopening without government clearance. A security guard was badly shot during the assault.
This comes days after 25 schoolgirls were abducted in neighbouring Kebbi state, one of whom later escaped. On the same day, gunmen attacked a church in Kwara state, killing two people and abducting 38 worshippers, demanding ransom.
President Bola Tinubu postponed his G20 summit trip amid the surge in kidnappings. Analysts say armed gangs—often former herders—target schools and villages for ransom, exploiting weak security, rampant corruption, and failures to prosecute known attackers, leaving northern Nigeria highly insecure.