Armed men abduct children at Catholic school in Nigeria days after previous kidnapping

Gunmen Storm Catholic School in Nigeria, Abduct Dozens of Children in Latest Kidnapping Wave.

Just days after 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped in a neighboring state, armed men attacked a Catholic boarding school in Niger State, Nigeria, and abducted several students and staff early Friday morning. The latest incident comes as Lagos is facing increasing scrutiny from the Trump administration amid concerns about violence against Christians in West Africa.

St. Mary's School, which serves children between the ages of 12 and 17, was attacked by gunmen who took over 52 schoolchildren hostage, according to local broadcaster Arise TV. Nigerian police officials have confirmed that military and security forces have been deployed to the area to investigate the incident and rescue the kidnapped students.

The abduction occurred despite prior intelligence warnings of heightened threats, said Abubakar Usman, secretary to the Niger state government, in a statement. "Regrettably, St. Mary's School proceeded to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the State Government, thereby exposing pupils and the staff to avoidable risk."

The latest kidnapping wave has brought the total number of students abducted in the region since Boko Haram extremists seized 276 Chibok schoolgirls over a decade ago to at least 1,500. Analysts and locals point to gangs often targeting schools for ransom, while authorities say the gunmen are mostly former herders who have taken up arms against farming communities.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has promised to intensify rescue efforts in response to the growing security concerns. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose sanctions on Lagos if it fails to better protect Christian communities and religious freedom, which he claims are under threat in Nigeria.

The Nigerian government has rejected allegations of persecution against Christians, with Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar stating that Nigeria is a "God-fearing country" that respects faith, tolerance, diversity, and inclusion.

I mean, come on... 52 kids taken hostage in one swoop? That's just crazy What's the point of these threats and kidnappings, anyway? Can't we all just get along? The government's doing what they can, but some folks might say it's not enough . I mean, what about all those kids who were taken in '07 by Boko Haram? That was like 276, right? So why do we need to label these groups as just "gangs" or "former herders"? We should be talking about solutions here .

this is getting so out of hand... 1,500+ kids kidnapped in the past decade?! it's not just about the violence or the money, it's about a whole system that's broken. schools should be safe spaces for kids to learn, not places where they can be taken hostage. and now there are international threats involved? US sanctions for Lagos if they don't step up security? what does that even mean? Nigeria needs to take ownership of this problem and find a solution that doesn't involve external pressure or threats. it's time to prioritize those 52 kids' lives over politics

This is getting outta hand! Can't believe it's happening again in Nigeria... I mean, I know Boko Haram has been a big problem for years, but schools? That's just horrific. What kind of monsters do such things to innocent kids? I feel like they're not even human anymore.

And the thing is, it's always the same story: gangs and extremist groups trying to get ransoms or cause chaos. It's like they think no one will stop them... But we have to keep pushing for change! We need better security measures in place and more support for these schools and kids.

I'm worried about what Donald Trump is saying, too. I know he wants to protect Christians and all that, but sanctions aren't gonna fix anything here. It's like he's not even understanding the situation... And what's with this "God-fearing country" thing? Nigeria has so many different faiths and cultures, it can't be reduced to just one thing.

We gotta do better, you know? We gotta support these kids and their families, and demand that our leaders take real action against all this violence.

Man, this is just heartbreaking ... how can these things keep happening in Nigeria? You got kids just trying to learn and have their minds opened up, and then BAM! They get taken away by armed men . I'm worried about the future of that country, you know? It's like, they're doing everything right, but somehow this gang stuff keeps popping up. And it's not like Nigeria is a bad place or anything... they've got rich culture, beautiful people, and so much to offer . But yeah, this kidnapping wave thing has gotta be addressed ASAP . I just hope the government can get their act together and catch these guys before more innocent lives are lost . It's just not right that some folks have to live in fear because of what others do...

OMG, this is so sad 52 kids taken from school?! How can ppl do dis? Authorities r tryin to figure out who's behind these attacks & get the kiddos back ASAP Meanwhile, Trump's all like "impose sanctions if they don't protect Christians"... umm isn't this kinda thing every day in Nigeria for years now https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/nigeria-children-abducted-from-catholic-school-2023-11-04/

.. this incident just broke my heart . We're talking about kids who were just trying to learn, have fun, and be young... and these gunmen came in and took them away from everything they knew. It's like, what's the world coming to? .

I think we can all learn a lesson from this. The fact that St. Mary's School didn't follow the state government's warnings just shows how overconfident we can be when it comes to safety. We need to remember that security is everyone's responsibility, not just the authorities.

And then there's the bigger picture here - the threats against Christian communities in West Africa. It's like, we can't let fear control us. We need to stand together and support each other, even when things get tough. Community is everything!

Lastly, this whole situation just highlights how many lives are at risk because of gang activities and armed conflicts. We need to keep fighting for peace, for justice, and for the rights of every single person, regardless of their background or faith.

this is getting outta hand. how many schools do we need to get taken over before everyone sits up & takes notice? these gangs are taking advantage of poor infrastructure & lack of resources schools like st mary's got no business being open if the gov can't even keep 'em safe it's a matter of time b4 someone loses their life. we need more than just words, we need action

This is getting worse by the day... all these school attacks & kidnappings in Nigeria are just heartbreaking. I don't think it's about politics or blame-shifting - we need to focus on solving this crisis ASAP. The numbers are staggering, over 1,500 students have been taken from schools... when will this stop?

this is just heartbreaking another innocent bunch of kids taken away from their families and future . it's like we're watching a never-ending cycle of tragedy here in nigeria . the government needs to get its act together and provide more support for these schools . i mean , how can they expect us to trust them when things keep happening like this ? meanwhile , us president trump is all over their case about christian freedom and whatnot , but really should he be doing that ? doesn't nigeria have the right to govern itself without some outside interference ?

and another thing , what's with all these gangs and herders just taking up arms over farming communities . can't we all just get along ? it's not like they're asking for much , just a safe place to live and work . but no , instead of working together , everyone's just fighting and hurting each other .

i'm so tired of seeing this stuff on the news and not being able to do anything about it . we need some real change here in nigeria , and fast

Ugh, this is just so heartbreaking ... 52 kids taken away from their families because some dudes with guns showed up to their school. It's like, can't we learn to live together without all the violence? I mean, I know the Niger state gov has been warned about threats before, but you'd think they'd do something. I guess they just didn't want to rock the boat.

And now we're hearing from the US prez that they'll impose sanctions on Lagos if things don't improve. Like, is this really what's needed? Threats and ultimatums? Can't we just talk about this stuff instead of throwing around guns and politics? It's just so sad for all those families who've lost loved ones to these kidnappings... my heart goes out to them

idk man... I mean, i'm all for protecting kids and stuff, but can we really blame the school for reopening without checking with the government first? like, didn't they have a plan in place or something? And 52 kidnapped students is crazy, but like, 1,500 since boko haram happened isn't that many considering how long it's been?
I mean, trump's all concerned about christian freedom and stuff, but shouldn't he be talking to nigeria directly instead of threatening sanctions on lagos? and nigeria says they're not persecuting christians, which i guess is true... but still, can we trust them to handle this situation properly? i don't know, it just feels like a whole lot of conflicting info going around right now...

this is getting outta control... 1,500 kids taken in the past decade? it's like they're just sitting ducks what's goin on with these governments? where's the action? nigeria needs some serious help, not just empty promises from politicians and US president don't even make sense, Nigeria's got its own issues to deal with... gotta keep an eye on this one, hope these kids are safe soon

I'm not buying the whole "Nigeria is a God-fearing country" thing... like, how many times do you have to get bombed or kidnapped before you believe the narrative? This latest attack on St Mary's School is just another example of how insecurity is spilling over from Boko Haram and turning into a full-blown gang war.

And what about all these "former herders turned gun-for-hire" guys who are terrorizing communities for ransom? You can't just rewrite history and expect everyone to be okay with it . It's time for the Nigerian government to get real about addressing this issue instead of dodging it behind a veil of "God-fearing country" propaganda .

And let's not forget that the West is already on the hook for backing Nigeria, now they're just gonna threaten sanctions if things don't get better . Meanwhile, we're still seeing kids being dragged away from school like they're nothing more than pawns in a game of international politics . Something needs to change, and it needs to change fast .

I'm not sure I buy the whole "former herders taking up arms" narrative . Sounds like a classic case of "blame the other guy". I mean, what's really going on here? Is it just a bunch of opportunistic gangs looking to make a quick buck by targeting schools and holding kids for ransom? It's not like Nigerian security forces haven't had enough warning signs to act sooner. And let's not forget, this is happening in a country with one of the highest populations in the world . It's time for some real answers instead of just blaming the usual suspects .

man this is just devastating news another wave of kidnapping hitting Nigeria it's like they're saying schools are no safe zones anymore I remember my cousin's niece was kidnapped from her school in Lagos a few years ago and the whole family was traumatized it's not just the kids who are affected but also the parents and families of those who were taken

I don't know if the Nigerian government is doing enough to prevent these attacks or if they're actually doing something about it the fact that intelligence warnings were ignored and schools reopened without clearance is a major red flag for me what kind of system allows this to happen?

OMG, can't believe this is happening again in Nigeria! These gunmen are just so ruthless... 52 kids taken hostage, that's like, what even is the point? I'm so sorry for the families of those poor kids who got abducted. And to think they reopened school despite warnings... it's like, basic common sense, you know?

And can we talk about the whole US thing for a sec? Like, President Trump just threatening sanctions on Lagos if they don't protect Christian communities? It sounds like he's trying to stir up some drama. I get that Nigeria has its issues with violence and extremism, but come on... this is just more fuel for the fire.

Anywayz, the Nigerian government should really do something about these gangs targeting schools and taking advantage of kids as ransom. It's not right. Let's all send some love and support to the families of those abducted kids .

this kidnapping wave is getting outta hand. 52 kids taken hostage just because some bad people think it's an easy way to make money? what's wrong with these gunmen?! They're not even thinking about the families of those little ones... The Nigerian government needs to step up their security measures, pronto! and can we please not play the "Christian vs Muslim" card here? it's just a sad excuse for someone to cause harm. We need to focus on finding those kids and keeping them safe.

I'm literally shaking over here thinking about all these kids being kidnapped like this. What's wrong with these people?! Can't they just leave the poor kids alone? It's not even like they're asking for trouble. They're just trying to get an education and grow up without any of this nonsense. And now, Nigeria is facing this huge crisis because some guys are using schools as a ransom to be rich... I mean, what kind of sick individuals do that?!

And don't even get me started on the US president making all these threats over here. Like, we get it, you care about Christians in West Africa, but can't you just work with Nigeria instead of threatening them? And what's with this "God-fearing country" thing? Are they serious? Nigeria is a beautiful country with so much diversity and culture...

It's not like the Nigerian government isn't trying to do anything. They're out there fighting these guys, but it seems like one step forward and two steps back. And what about all these analysts pointing out that gangs are targeting schools for ransom? It's just so heartbreaking. Can't we just make a change here?!

this is so sad, another school attacked and kids taken away it's like they're just using schools as targets for ransom or something... I mean, can't they think about the lives of these innocent children?
and what's up with all these threats from the US president? like, sanctions on Lagos? is that even a thing? and Nigerian president Bola Tinubu promising to intensify rescue efforts, good luck with that... I mean, it's not like they're doing enough already .
and have you noticed how some people just blame everyone else for the situation? 'gangs targeting schools', 'former herders taking up arms against farming communities'... come on guys, take responsibility for your own actions!
anyway, I hope these kids are safe and get rescued soon . This is just too much