Community recounts unspeakable tragedy of parents awaiting news of their kidnapped children in Nigeria
Over 250 children and teachers were kidnapped from St. Mary's School in Nigeria. The local community is experiencing trauma, helplessness, and confusion following the abduction. Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna of Kontagora reported that the diocese is still gathering information about the missing individuals. A military-led search and rescue operation has been launched by the government. Some children managed to escape and were reunited with their families.
16 days ago
Gunmen abducted over 300 students and staff from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger state, Nigeria, on November 21, 2025, in a predawn raid targeting the boarding facility.1 2 3 As of late November, approximately 250-265 individuals, including 253 children aged 10-18 and 12 teachers, remained in captivity, while 50 students escaped and reunited with families.1 2 3 No group has claimed responsibility, but the attack aligns with tactics used by armed bandits and militants seeking ransom in remote areas.1
Parents in Papiri expressed profound trauma and frustration over the lack of updates from authorities, with many gathering at the school compound to comfort each other amid the uncertainty.1 2 3 At least two parents died from heart attacks upon learning of the kidnappings, including one whose three nursery-aged children were taken, leaving families devastated as some lost all their children to the abductors.1 2 Concerns also arose for abducted children with health issues, such as one battling hepatitis C, highlighting the vulnerability of the young victims in harsh conditions.1
Nigerian authorities deployed helicopters, ground troops, and military personnel to the area, mounting pressure on the gunmen for the captives' release.1 2 President Bola Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency on November 27, ordering the recruitment of 20,000 additional police officers to total 50,000 and bolstering forces in vulnerable regions.1 3 Despite these measures, parents accused the government of providing no briefings, fueling pleas for urgent action as tensions mounted.1 3
The Papiri attack followed a similar abduction of 25-30 students from a school in nearby Kebbi state days earlier, all of whom were rescued and reunited with families by November 26.1 3 This surge in school-targeted kidnappings has revived fears in northern Nigeria, where armed groups exploit limited security presence in remote communities.1 Analysts note that such operations by bandits and jihadist-linked militants, including Boko Haram factions, aim to coerce government negotiations and ransoms.1
Nigeria has faced at least a dozen major school abductions since 2014, with an Associated Press tally documenting 1,799 students kidnapped, some escaping, others rescued, and many never returning.1 3 The 2014 Chibok incident, involving 276 girls seized by Boko Haram, sparked global outrage and led to the Safe School Initiative, which promised military protection and staff training but has been criticized as ineffective, with only 37% of northern schools equipped with early-warning systems.1 Abductions had declined recently but are resurging amid complex threats from al-Qaida and Islamic State affiliates spreading from the Sahel region.1
Pope Leo XIV expressed deep sadness during his November 23 Angelus prayer, urging the immediate release of the Nigerian captives and mentioning similar priest kidnappings in Cameroon.2 The incident has drawn U.S. attention, with President Donald Trump's administration pressuring Nigeria over alleged Christian persecution—a claim the Nigerian government denies, asserting that Muslims suffer equally from banditry and militancy.1 3 Experts emphasize that these attacks transcend religion, driven by armed gangs targeting schools for leverage, while activists like Aisha Yesufu decry government focus on propaganda over genuine security.1 In Cameroon, related separatist violence has prompted Archbishop Andrew Nkea to threaten church closures and marches if a kidnapped priest remains held, underscoring broader regional instability.2
Investigate Catholic Church’s pastoral response to mass abductions
The Catholic Church has consistently addressed mass abductions as a grave violation of human dignity, responding pastorally through prayer, public appeals for the release of victims, expressions of solidarity with affected communities, and advocacy for peace, justice, and religious freedom. This response is rooted in the Church's mission to defend the vulnerable, drawing from scriptural calls to protect the innocent and promote reconciliation. In contexts like Nigeria and Cameroon, where abductions often target Christians and priests amid broader violence, the Church emphasizes spiritual support alongside calls for systemic change, reflecting a holistic approach that combines immediate compassion with long-term efforts against persecution.
The Church's pastoral engagement with abductions dates back decades, often framed as a moral imperative to intercede for the suffering. Popes have frequently used public audiences and addresses to appeal directly to perpetrators, invoking human conscience and divine justice. For instance, during a General Audience on December 13, 1978, Pope John Paul II described kidnapping as a "scourge unworthy of civil countries" that had reached "horrifying forms of cruelty." He beseeched those responsible to release their captives, reminding them that "God is the avenger of men's actions" and urging a triumph of "that spark of humanity which cannot be absent from their spirits." This appeal extended his thoughts to all sufferers worldwide, highlighting the Church's role in extending moral pressure through prayer and public witness.
Similarly, in 1983, amid a specific child abduction in Italy, Pope John Paul II issued a "pressing appeal" to the kidnappers not to close their hearts to humanity, inviting the faithful to join in prayer for the victim, her family, and other abductees. He implored God to provide "the necessary comfort" and a "rapid and happy conclusion" to their ordeal, extending his prayer to all those still held captive. These interventions underscore a pattern: the Church uses its global platform to humanize victims, foster collective prayer, and challenge abductors ethically, without resorting to political confrontation but emphasizing spiritual conversion.
Pope Francis continued this tradition, integrating responses to abductions within broader condemnations of terrorism and violence. In a 2014 General Audience, he led a moment of silence and the Our Father for victims of attacks in Australia, Pakistan, and Yemen, praying for the deceased, comfort for families, and conversion of "the hearts of the violent, who do not even stop before children." He urged greater commitment to prayer and good works, linking such acts to the joy of Christ's birth. This approach ties pastoral care to evangelization, viewing abductions as symptoms of a world needing Gospel hope.
Earlier, during his 1998 apostolic journey to Nigeria, Pope John Paul II addressed abductions in the context of Africa's broader crises, calling for protection of children and youth from being "mercilessly abducted, abused, enslaved or killed." He prayed for a world where no child is deprived of peace, security, or family life, renewing appeals to the international community for support in Africa's development and peace efforts. These historical responses establish prayer and advocacy as core pastoral tools, often connected to the Church's social doctrine on human rights and non-violence.
Pope Leo XIV has built on this legacy, particularly in addressing ongoing violence in Africa, including mass abductions in Nigeria and similar incidents involving priests in Cameroon. In June 2025, following a wave of killings in Benue State, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops echoed Pope Leo XIV's prayers for "security, justice, and peace" in Nigeria, with special attention to "the rural Christian communities... who have unceasingly been victims of violence." The letter expressed "profound sadness and steadfast ecclesial solidarity," joining Nigerian bishops in nine days of prayer for peace, justice, reconciliation, and interfaith solidarity. This reflects the Church's coordinated pastoral strategy: local bishops lead prayer initiatives, while the universal Church amplifies them through papal endorsement and international support.
More broadly, Pope Leo XIV's October 2025 address to Aid to the Church in Need emphasized solidarity with persecuted Christians, stating that "if one member suffers, all suffer together" (1 Cor 12:26). He highlighted rising "hostility and violence against those who hold different convictions, including many Christians," positioning the Church as a body that "remembers them, stands with them, and labours to secure their God-given freedoms." Rooted in the dignity of the human person, this response defends religious freedom as essential for seeking truth and fostering reconciliation, warning that its denial leads to "trust giv[ing] way to fear" and "oppression breed[ing] violence." In regions like Nigeria, where abductions often stem from religious tensions, this framework guides pastoral actions such as supporting affected communities through aid organizations and promoting dialogue.
While specific details of Pope Leo XIV's November 23, 2025, Angelus prayer on Nigerian captives and Cameroonian priest kidnappings are not fully detailed in available sources, it aligns with this pattern of expressing "deep sadness" and urging immediate release. His papacy, informed by his missionary experience in Peru, prioritizes accompaniment for the vulnerable, as seen in calls for global parishes to support mission territories facing such threats. This includes practical aid like building churches and providing health care, extending pastoral care beyond words to tangible relief.
The Church's response is theologically grounded in the communion of saints and the preferential option for the poor. Abductions, especially mass ones targeting faith communities, are seen as attacks on Christ's Body, demanding unified prayer and action. Vatican II's Dignitatis Humanae affirms religious freedom as a right to be recognized in every nation's laws, a principle Pope Leo XIV invokes to combat the root causes of such violence. Ethically, the response balances mercy—praying for perpetrators' conversion—with justice, advocating for legal protections without endorsing retaliation. Where sources touch on controversy, such as interfaith dimensions in Nigeria, the Church promotes "fraternal solidarity between peoples of all faiths," prioritizing reconciliation over division.
In cases of disagreement among sources, earlier papal appeals (e.g., John Paul II's focus on individual conscience ) complement Leo XIV's emphasis on systemic freedom, with more recent documents taking precedence in highlighting global solidarity amid rising persecution.
The Catholic Church's pastoral response to mass abductions weaves prayer, appeals, and solidarity into a tapestry of hope, consistently defending human dignity across pontificates. From John Paul II's direct pleas to Leo XIV's focus on persecuted communities in Nigeria and beyond, this approach not only comforts victims but challenges societies to uproot violence. By relying on spiritual unity and practical aid, the Church invites all to participate in building a world free from such horrors, echoing the Gospel's call to love even amid suffering.