Nigeria has been struck by yet another mass school abduction, with early conflicting reports on the number of victims until the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State confirmed that 227 students and teachers were kidnapped from St. Mary’s Private (Catholic) Schools in Agwara, Niger State, deepening the country’s escalating insecurity crisis.
The attack adds to a growing list of tragedies, as terrorists and bandits continue to unleash violence across the country, targeting schoolchildren with alarming frequency.
The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State, Dr Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, confirmed the figures in a statement signed by his media aide, Dan Atori.
“From our records, 215 pupils and students, including 12 teachers, were abducted by the terrorists,” Yohanna said.
He added that he had visited the affected community to meet with parents and assure them that religious leaders, the government, and security agencies were working together to rescue the victims.
“It is worth noting that during the attack, some students escaped, and parents have started coming to pick up their children as the school has been shut down,” he said.
This day gathered that 11 students managed to escape and have since been reunited with their families.
The latest abduction has triggered swift responses across the northern region.
The federal government, alongside the governments of Katsina and Plateau states, on Friday ordered the immediate closure of schools, citing heightened risks for students.
- Katsina State: The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Yusuf Jibia, told DW Hausa that the closure was a precautionary measure following fresh attacks in neighbouring states.
- Plateau State: The Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board (PSUBEB) directed the shutdown of all basic schools.
- Government Junior Model Secondary Schools closed on Saturday, November 22, 2025.
- Primary and day schools will close from Monday, November 24, 2025. The board said the decision was necessary to prevent further attacks and protect students.
These closures come two days after Kwara State also shut schools across four LGAs due to escalating insecurity.
Amid rising fears, National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, led Nigeria’s security delegation to the United States following President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern.”
At the Pentagon, Ribadu met with the U.S. Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to discuss ways to stop violence against Christians in Nigeria and combat jihadist groups operating across West Africa.
Hegseth emphasised the need for Nigeria to show commitment through “urgent and sustained action,” adding that the U.S. was ready to work with Nigeria to deter terrorist threats.
The Niger school attack comes just days after 25 schoolgirls were abducted from Government Girls Secondary School in Kebbi State, sparking nationwide outrage.
Security experts have renewed calls for the abolition of Nigeria’s 1959 Firearms Act, arguing that the outdated law cannot respond to modern security threats, especially the proliferation of assault weapons among criminal groups.
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) also condemned the repeated school kidnappings, accusing the federal government of weak political will, negligence, and poor security leadership over the past decade.
The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) described the Niger school kidnapping as “disturbing and unacceptable.”
Its chairman, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, said schools must remain places of learning — not theatres of violence.
In a regional show of concern, ECOWAS Commission President Dr Omar Touray called for global support to combat terrorism in West Africa and the Sahel, warning that the situation poses an existential threat if not urgently addressed.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also urged the government to put forward actionable, long-term strategies to curb kidnappings and widespread insecurity.
In a controversial reaction, the Niger State Government confirmed the attack but accused the school authorities of ignoring an earlier security advisory directing schools in vulnerable areas to shut down due to rising threats.
The government said more could have been done to prevent the tragedy if the advisory had been followed.
As fear spreads, communities across northern Nigeria are grappling with uncertainty, and families are left waiting desperately for news. Meanwhile, leaders at home and abroad continue to discuss ways to bring the worsening insecurity under control.
