Nigeria School Abduction – Christians Being Killed and Abducted by the Thousands
Gunmen kidnapped 303 students and 12 teachers from St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Niger State, according to a revised tally from the Christian Association of Nigeria. Initial reports listed 215 students abducted, but authorities later confirmed that 88 additional children were captured while attempting to escape. The victims, both boys and girls aged 10 to 18, were taken just days after a separate kidnapping of 25 students in neighboring Kebbi State. No group has claimed responsibility.
The attack highlights a growing pattern of school abductions in Nigeria, which continues to struggle with limited early warning systems and escalating violence targeting Christian communities. While mainstream media often note that both Christians and Muslims are affected, casualty data indicates Christians are disproportionately impacted. Studies suggest a roughly 6.5 to 1 ratio of Christian to Muslim victims relative to population distribution.
Since 2009, about 185,009 Nigerians have been killed in ongoing attacks, including 125,009 Christians and 60,000 Muslims identified as “liberal” or non-jihadist. According to a report by Intersociety, at least 7,087 Christians were massacred in Nigeria during the first 220 days of 2025 alone—an average of 32 per day—with another 7,899 abducted by 22 jihadist groups. The report claims these groups aim to eliminate Christianity in Nigeria over the next 50 years, having already destroyed 19,100 churches, displaced over 1,100 Christian communities, and abducted more than 600 clergy since 2009.
Benue State has borne the brunt of recent attacks, including the June 2025 Yelewata massacre, where an estimated 280 Christians were killed, and the April 2025 Sankera massacre, in which 72 people were hacked to death. Church leaders describe these killings as systematic and accuse elements of Nigeria’s military and political leadership of failing to protect Christian communities.
Mass kidnappings have a long history in Nigeria. One of the most infamous incidents occurred in 2014 when Boko Haram abducted 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State. As of April 2024, 82 of the girls remained missing, with many presumed dead. Other notable abductions include the 2018 Dapchi kidnapping of 110 girls, of whom four were not returned immediately. Leah Sharibu, a 14-year-old Christian, was kept in captivity for refusing to convert to Islam. Between 2014 and 2024, over 1,400 schoolchildren were kidnapped in Nigeria.
Security forces are actively searching for the St. Mary’s victims, while President Bola Tinubu canceled a planned trip to the G20 summit in South Africa following the abductions. Human rights groups warn that global indifference has left Christian communities increasingly vulnerable and forced to defend themselves.
Under President Trump, the U.S. designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) in 2020, a designation later removed by the Biden administration. In October 2025, President Trump reinstated Nigeria’s CPC status and instructed the Defense Department to prepare for possible action if the Nigerian government continued failing to protect Christians. U.S. lawmakers, including Rep. Riley Moore and Rep. Tom Cole, were tasked with investigating the situation.
Following the CPC designation, Nigerian President Tinubu publicly contested the U.S. characterization, asserting that religious freedom remains a cornerstone of Nigerian identity. In late November 2025, a high-level Nigerian delegation, led by National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, visited Washington, meeting with senior officials at the Pentagon, State Department, and Congress to discuss the situation.
Meanwhile, advocacy efforts continue internationally. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz and rapper Nicki Minaj highlighted the threats to Nigerian Christians at a UN event, and the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee held a hearing focused on the CPC designation and its implications for U.S.-Nigeria engagement.
About Post Author
