Terrorists Kidnap 227 from Catholic School in Niger State, Nigeria, Days After Kebbi School Kidnap
Niger State, Nigeria – November 22, 2025
Suspected Fulani terrorists on Friday morning attacked St. Mary’s Private Catholic Secondary School in the Papiri community of Agwara Local Government Area, kidnapping two hundred and fifteen (215) school children and twelve (12) teachers, in the second mass kidnapping in the country in a week.
According to local officials and community sources, the terrorists struck between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. in a coordinated operation.
Dauda Chekula, 62, said four of his grandchildren, aged between seven and ten, were among the kidnapped schoolchildren.
“We don’t know what is happening now, because we have not heard anything since this morning,” Chekula told the Associated Press.
In May 2021, Fulani terrorists had abducted 135 seminary school students, leaving at least 6 students dead.
The state’s Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, confirmed the abduction , stating, “The Niger state government has received with deep sadness.”
The school is co-educational, with both boys and girls reportedly among the abducted.
The government says it had previously suspended all boarding-school activities in the area after credible intelligence of imminent threats.
According to reports, 227 individuals, including students and teachers, were abducted, of which 215 were students and 12 teachers were among those taken.
According to local witnesses, the terrorists attacked the school compound, reportedly firing sporadic gunshots, with no challenge from the security forces.
The Diocese of Kontagora confirmed the attack and appealed to the public to remain calm, urging prayers for the safe return of the abducted.
This abduction comes just five days after a high-profile kidnapping of 25 girls from a girls’ secondary school in Kebbi State, that left the vice principle dead, and the local guard shot in the right hand.
Northern Nigeria continues to bear the brunt of increasing insecurity, with “terrorists” or “bandits” often targeting schools, making them vulnerable soft targets.
The federal government, along with state and security agencies, faces pressure to strengthen protection for schools and to ensure more robust early-warning systems are in place.
Families in Papiri and surrounding communities are in deep distress, worried about the safety of their children and teachers.
The mass abduction underscores a growing national crisis of Fulani terrorism, where no one is safe, and educational institutions are repeatedly under threat.
A speedy and transparent rescue operation is paramount to bring the abducted students and teachers home safely.
Authorities must reassess security protocols for schools, especially in high-risk regions.
Civil society, religious bodies, and government must collaborate to strengthen preventive measures and intelligence-sharing.
Read also:
Fulani Terrorists Kidnap 25 Schoolgirls in Kebbi State, Nigeria – Vice Principal Killed
