Nigeria shaken by mass abduction at Catholic school

Pope Leo called for the immediate release of the kidnapped pupils in his Angelus address on Sunday, praying that churches and schools would remain ‘places of safety and hope’.

A Catholic school in North Central Nigeria suffered one of the largest kidnappings in recent history.

Gunmen abducted 315 pupils and staff from St Mary’s Catholic School in in the remote Papiri community of Niger State on 21 November. Around 50 of them reportedly escaped by Sunday. 

Authorities in Nigeria said the school, owned by the Diocese of Kontagora and run by the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA), was operating despite orders that boarding schools in the area should be closed overs security concerns, but Church officials disputed the claim.

“We did not receive any circular. It must be an afterthought and a way to shift blame,” said Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna of Kontagora, who is also chairman of the Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). He called on families “to remain calm and prayerful”.

Niger State’s Governor Umar Bago ordered that all schools shut down to forestall further kidnappings, saying he had announced the start of the Christmas holidays to close schools until further notice.

Pope Leo called for the release of the kidnapped pupils in his Angelus address on Sunday, praying that churches and schools would remain “places of safety and hope”.

“I feel great pain, above all for the many young men and women who have been abducted and for their distressed families,” the Pope said. “I make a heartfelt appeal for the immediate release of the hostages and urge the competent authorities to take appropriate and timely decisions to ensure their release.”

Sr Mary T. Barron, the leader of the OLA Congregation in Rome, requested “the prayers and spiritual solidarity of the global Catholic religious family following the abduction of pupils, students, and staff of St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools”.

The attack followed a similar incident on 17 November when 25 children were seized from a government school in the town of Maga, in neighbouring Kebbi State. The same day, bandits attacked a Christ Apostolic Church service in a rural community in Kwara State, killing three worshippers and abducting 38 others.

Kwara’s Governor Abdul Rahman Abdul Razaq later confirmed the release of all 38 abducted CAC worshippers, but it was not clear whether the kidnappers received the ransom they demanded of ₦100 million per victim.

Fr Remigius Ihyula, director of the Foundation for Justice, Development and Peace, told Fox News that there was little hope that the kidnapped pupils from St Mary’s School will return to their families.

“The attackers either would sell them off, or will forcefully get married to them,” he said.  “The chances of them being returned to their families are very slim.”

Emeka Umeagbalasi, director of the Catholic-inspired group International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, known as Intersociety, said the abductions demonstrated Nigeria’s insecurity, with at least 24 terrorist groups operating across the country. He called the attack another piece of evidence demonstrating Christians are being killed for their faith in Nigeria.  

Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi told the United States Congress on 20 November that action was needed to safeguard Christianity in Nigeria.

“Without quick intervention, Christianity risks elimination in parts of Northern and Middle Belt Nigeria within a very short time,” he said.

“The Church alone cannot stop the killings. It requires coordinated political, military, humanitarian interventions. The blood of Nigerian Christians cries out to you people. We cannot wait any longer.”

Priest and parishioners seized in wave of attacks in northwest Nigeria

Christianity under siege in Nigeria

Stay updated — add us as a preferred news source on Google: