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Armed bandits struck at 2 a.m. on November 21, 2025, grabbing 303 pupils aged 10-18 and 12 staff from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger State, Nigeria. The terrifying raid highlights a spike in violent school kidnappings gripping northern Nigeria.
Mass Kidnap Shocks Nation
Gunmen armed with rifles stormed the boarding school dormitories under the cover of darkness. Though some students fled, 88 of those escaped were quickly recaptured. In total, 315 people – including 303 boys and girls plus 12 teachers – were snatched before the kidnappers fled into nearby forests.
Calls are growing for the government and military to up their game as the nation reels from a growing security crisis that disrupts education and shatters lives.
