A distraught father has recounted the terrifying moment armed men stormed St Mary’s Catholic boarding school in Papiri, Niger State, abducting hundreds of students in one of Nigeria’s worst school kidnappings this year.
The father, identified only as Theo for his protection, told the BBC he awoke to chaos in the early hours of Friday as gunmen, riding in large numbers on motorbikes, marched children through the village like captives.
“They were herding them the way shepherds drive livestock,” he said. “Some children fell, and the men kicked them and ordered them to get up. I wanted to run and help, but what could I do? I couldn’t stop them.”
Theo said he called the police, but by the time officers arrived, the attackers—described as bandits—had vanished into the bush with their hostages.
According to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), 303 students and 12 staff members were taken from the school, though 50 children managed to escape and are back with their families. Bishop Bulus Bawa Yohanna, who oversees the school and chairs the association’s Niger chapter, has shared a list of those abducted with the BBC.
Police, however, dispute the figures, saying they are aware only of a smaller number of escapees.
Niger State Governor Umar Bago has also pushed back against the reported tally, insisting the number of abducted students is “far, far below” 303. He criticised the school for operating despite previous threats from armed groups—warnings issued four years ago and again just two months prior.
“These schools were supposed to remain closed,” the governor said, claiming the attackers only intended to “scare” the community and that the children would eventually be rescued.
Parents strongly disagree. Theo and several others have been camping at the school in frustration, accusing authorities of abandoning them.
“Our children are gone, and the government is not paying attention,” he said. “We feel forgotten—like we are not part of this country.”
Another parent, in tears, told the BBC the pain is unbearable. “My only son was taken. My first-born. Please help us,” she pleaded.
Lucas, a father of three, said two of his children were kidnapped, while his youngest—a six-year-old boy—managed to escape. “He ran into my arms. I held him so tight,” he said.
Northern Niger State has become a notorious hotspot for kidnapping-for-ransom gangs, many of whom use the region’s vast forests as hideouts and transit routes. The sprawling state, larger than Denmark and the Netherlands combined, has long struggled with security coverage.
The abduction at Papiri is the third school attack Nigeria has faced in a single week. Earlier, more than 20 schoolgirls were taken in Kebbi State, while armed men also attacked a church in Kwara State, killing two worshippers and kidnapping dozens.
President Bola Tinubu called off his scheduled appearance at the G20 summit in South Africa to address the escalating crisis, announcing Sunday that all 38 abducted worshippers in Kwara had been rescued.
He vowed to restore security nationwide. “Every Nigerian has the right to safety. Under my watch, we will protect our people,” he said.
The surge in kidnappings has once again forced the closure of many boarding schools across the country, as terrified parents rush to collect their children.
Nigeria has rejected claims from American President Donald Trump that Christians are being specifically targeted, stating that extremists attack “Muslims, Christians, and those of no faith alike.”
While terror groups linked to Islamist militancy are responsible for some abductions, officials say criminal gangs increasingly dominate the kidnapping economy, deepening Nigeria’s already severe security challenges.