Gunmen abducted an unspecified number of students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Nigeria. The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora confirmed the kidnapping and condemned the attack. The attack occurred between 1 and 3 a.m. local time on November 21 in the Agwarra local government area. Security personnel were badly shot during the attack. The diocese is collaborating with security operatives and community leaders to ensure the safe return of the victims.
21 days ago
Gunmen attacked St. Mary's Catholic Nursery, Primary, and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara local government area of Niger State, Nigeria, between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. on November 21, 2025, abducting an unspecified number of students and teachers while severely wounding a security guard.1 3 4 Reports vary on the scale, with estimates ranging from "some" pupils and staff to over 200 schoolchildren and 12 teachers, or even more than 300 victims in total.2 6 The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora condemned the assault as "painful and disturbing," expressing deep concern for the victims' safety and urging calm while collaborating with security forces for their release.1 3 4
This incident follows a pattern of violence within days. On November 17, 2025, gunmen abducted 25 girls from a government boarding school in Kebbi State, killing the vice principal during a shootout with police; one girl escaped by November 19.1 2 3 On November 19, attackers raided Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, killing three worshippers, abducting the pastor and up to 38 others, and demanding $69,000 ransom per hostage.1 2 Additionally, on November 17, Father Bobbo Paschal was kidnapped from St. Stephen Parish in Kaduna Archdiocese, with several others taken and Father Anthony Yero's brother killed; rumors of the priest's death were refuted on November 20.2 3
Nigeria faces surging insecurity from Boko Haram insurgents and Fulani herdsmen militias, who have targeted Christians since 2009, aiming to impose Islamic rule in parts of the country.3 4 5 Advocacy groups like Intersociety report 113 Christians killed and 135 abducted between October 28 and November 17, 2025, with over 7,000 Christian deaths in the first 220 days of 2025 alone.1 2 From 2010 to October 2025, at least 185,000 faith-related killings occurred, including 125,000 Christians, alongside the destruction of 19,100 churches and seizure of 1,100 Christian communities by extremists allegedly shielded by the government.1 2 Experts describe this as a deliberate "genocide" to eradicate Christianity, with 600 clerics abducted and dozens killed or missing, forcing over 15 million displacements.1 2
The Niger State government ordered boarding schools closed due to threats but blamed St. Mary's for reopening without clearance, exposing victims to risk.2 6 Police and military deployed tactical units to comb forests for rescues, vowing to free victims unharmed.1 2 The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) condemned the attack, reaffirming child protection commitments and calling for prayers.1 2 Bishop Bulus Yohana Dauwa of Kontagora highlighted the crisis, stating Nigeria is "no longer safe for children" amid worsening violence in Niger and Kebbi States, where residents flee to bushes for safety.3 4
Pope Leo XIV addressed the violence on November 22, 2025, en route from Castel Gandolfo, noting dangers to Christians and Muslims alike from terrorism, economic disputes, and land control, while urging government-religious cooperation for religious freedom.3 4 5 U.S. President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria a "country of particular concern" on October 31, 2025, threatening aid cuts and military action to halt the "existential threat" to Christians, prompting mixed Nigerian church reactions.1 3 UNICEF decried schools as unsafe, and U.S. officials, including Jonathan Pratt, consider sanctions, counter-terrorism aid via the Pentagon, and reviews of intelligence sharing to protect religious groups.6 ADF International labeled the abductions an assault on civilization and Christian futures.1
Investigate Catholic Church’s response to recurrent student abductions
The Catholic Church has consistently responded to recurrent student abductions, particularly in contexts like Nigeria where such violence has targeted educational institutions and vulnerable youth, with a multifaceted approach rooted in prayer, pastoral solidarity, advocacy for justice, and calls for systemic change. Drawing from official statements and letters, the Church emphasizes the protection of human dignity, especially for children and young people, while condemning the underlying causes of insecurity such as terrorism, banditry, and governance failures. This response integrates spiritual support with practical appeals to governments and international partners, reflecting the Gospel's mandate to defend the innocent and promote peace. In Nigeria, where abductions of students by groups like Boko Haram and bandits have displaced millions and instilled widespread fear, the Church's interventions highlight ecclesial unity across borders, echoing papal teachings on religious freedom and the right to education as pillars of societal harmony.
The Church's stance against abductions traces back to foundational teachings on the inviolable dignity of children, as articulated by Pope John Paul II during his 1998 apostolic journey to Nigeria. In a farewell address, he decried the "terrible hardships visited upon the thousands of innocent victims who are forced to become refugees, who are left hungry, or who are mercilessly abducted, abused, enslaved or killed," specifically urging protection for African children and youth from such atrocities. This papal plea framed abductions not merely as criminal acts but as assaults on the human family, calling for a world where no child is deprived of "peace and security" or a stable upbringing. John Paul II's words remain pertinent to recurrent incidents, such as the 2014 Chibok abductions and subsequent school attacks, underscoring the Church's long-term commitment to safeguarding education as a right essential for development.
More recently, in the context of escalating insecurity, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has amplified these concerns through direct correspondence with global leaders. In an April 2024 letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the USCCB detailed the "unabated violence" in Nigeria, including kidnappings for ransom by bandits and gunmen targeting villages, motorists, and innocent people across the northwest and middle belt. The bishops highlighted how this has led to around 3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), many of them students fleeing school raids, and attributed the crisis to "pervasive corruption and endemic poverty" alongside a "massive failure of governance." They urged decentralizing security to state-level forces, investing in small businesses like agriculture to address root causes, and combating corruption to prevent further chaos. This analysis portrays abductions as symptoms of broader societal breakdown, aligning with Catholic social teaching that views security as inseparable from the common good.
A companion USCCB letter from the same period to Blinken reinforced the Church's role as a partner in solutions, noting Nigeria's potential through civil society assets like Veritas University and diocesan justice commissions. The bishops advocated empowering local Church networks, including interfaith collaborations with Muslim communities, to influence government and mitigate fragility before it worsens, as seen in the Sahel region's spillover effects. Such advocacy extends to student abductions by emphasizing youth vulnerability to recruitment by armed groups amid poverty and unemployment, a recurring theme in Church documents on peacebuilding.
Pope Leo XIV, elected in May 2025, has continued this tradition of pastoral solidarity, particularly in response to violence affecting Christian communities. In a June 2025 letter from the USCCB to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio echoed the Holy Father's prayers for "security, justice, and peace" in Nigeria, with special mention of "rural Christian communities in the state of Benue, who have unceasingly been victims of violence." This followed Nigerian bishops' declarations of nine days of prayer amid a wave of killings, which often accompany abductions in Benue and neighboring areas. The USCCB joined in beseeching God for reconciliation and solidarity across faiths, while calling for an end to "relentless attacks on innocent and defenceless communities." Leo XIV's invocation here positions the Church as a global voice of hope, transforming grief into communal prayer and urging international attention to protect students as future builders of society.
In October 2025, Leo XIV addressed Aid to the Church in Need, an organization supporting persecuted Christians, stressing that the Body of Christ suffers when one member is harmed (1 Cor 12:26). He highlighted rising "hostility and violence against those who hold different convictions, including many Christians," implicitly including abduction hotspots like Nigeria. The Pope reaffirmed religious freedom as essential for reconciliation, warning that its denial leads to "oppression breeds violence" and erodes ethical bonds. This message encourages grassroots accompaniment for affected families, including those of abducted students, while appealing to the international community to secure God-given freedoms. Leo XIV's emphasis on lived defense of rights—beyond abstraction—mirrors the Church's practical aid, such as through Catholic Charities networks that provide shelter and legal support to IDPs, many of whom are student survivors.
The Church also addresses educational disruptions from abductions in broader teachings. Pope Leo XIV's October 2025 apostolic letter on the 60th anniversary of Gravissimum Educationis laments "dramatic educational emergencies caused by wars, migration, inequalities and various forms of poverty," directly relevant to Nigeria where school closures due to abduction fears affect millions. He calls education "one of the highest expressions of Christian charity," urging renewed commitment to access primary schooling for children worldwide, including those traumatized by violence.
While the Church's responses are robust, sources reveal challenges like government inaction and the need for balanced international aid. The 2020 USCCB backgrounder on peace in the Sahel notes root causes such as poverty and youth unemployment fueling recruitment into armed groups responsible for abductions. It outlines Church strategies: dialogue programs between ethnic groups, media initiatives to promote peaceful coexistence, mediation in conflicts, and advocacy for reforms. Collaborations with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) aim to boost livelihoods training for youth, preventing vulnerability to bandits, while pressing the U.S. to prioritize humanitarian funding over purely military interventions.
Interfaith dimensions are crucial, as Nigerian violence often pits communities against each other. The USCCB letters stress the Church's role as a "trusted interfaith partner among Muslim communities," channeling credibility to high-level influence. This aligns with Leo XIV's September 2025 address on intercultural dialogue, promoting healthy secularism that values religion's social role in fostering relationships amid division. For student abductions, this means joint appeals for peace, as seen in Nigerian bishops' plenary communiqués urging national rebirth for the common good.
In conclusion, the Catholic Church's response to recurrent student abductions integrates condemnation, prayerful solidarity, and proactive advocacy, viewing such violence as an affront to human dignity and education's Gospel mission. From John Paul II's early warnings to Leo XIV's recent prayers and the USCCB's diplomatic engagements, the Church calls for justice, interfaith harmony, and global partnerships to address root causes like poverty and corruption. This holistic approach not only comforts victims but seeks transformative peace, inviting all to build societies where no child fears the journey to school. By relying on these sources, the Church's fidelity to protecting the vulnerable shines as a beacon of hope amid ongoing crises.