In one of Nigeria's most severe security incidents, armed militants kidnapped more than 300 schoolchildren from a Catholic educational institution in central Nigeria, sending shockwaves through the nation and international community.
Mass Abduction Details Emerge
Gunmen stormed St. Mary's co-education school in Niger state on Friday, initially taking an estimated 227 students. However, the Christian Association of Nigeria revealed on Saturday that the actual number was significantly higher after conducting a thorough verification exercise.
The association confirmed through an official statement that 303 students and 12 teachers were abducted, bringing the total number of kidnapped persons to 315. The higher figure emerged after authorities discovered that 88 additional students had been captured while attempting to escape the attackers.
Escalating Security Crisis
This massive kidnapping represents nearly half of the school's total student population of 629, highlighting the scale of the attack. The incident occurred just days after another abduction operation on Monday, where gunmen targeted a secondary school in neighboring Kebbi state and kidnapped 25 girls.
No group has claimed responsibility for either attack, leaving authorities and communities in uncertainty about the perpetrators' motives and demands. The timing is particularly significant as these abductions occurred following recent threats by former US President Donald Trump regarding military action in response to what he described as the killing of Christians by radical Islamists in Nigeria.
Government Response and Measures
Niger state governor Mohammed Umar Bago confirmed that intelligence departments and police were conducting head counts to determine the exact number of missing individuals. The official figures were expected to be released by the end of the day, according to AP reports.
In response to the security threat, Governor Bago ordered the closure of all schools in his state as a precautionary measure. This decision followed earlier government orders to shut down some educational institutions in the region.
The Nigerian government has maintained silence regarding the specific number of abducted students and teachers, while local authorities continue their investigations and search operations to locate the missing children and educators.
