Nigeria Sees One of Its Worst Mass Kidnappings as Toll Rises to 315

Nigeria Sees One of Its Worst Mass Kidnappings as Toll Rises to 315
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More than 300 students and staff are believed to have been abducted from a Catholic school in Nigeria, one of the country’s largest mass kidnappings to date, according to Reuters. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said on Saturday that its latest verification places the number of abducted individuals from St. Mary’s School in Niger state at 315, up from an earlier estimate of 227. The revised figure includes 303 students and 12 staff members, among them 88 children reportedly taken while attempting to flee.

The incident comes amid a surge in attacks by armed groups and Islamist insurgents across Nigeria. If confirmed, the total number of abductees would surpass the 276 schoolgirls seized by Boko Haram in Chibok in 2014. Authorities in Niger state said earlier that the school had failed to comply with an instruction to close boarding facilities due to threats of potential attacks, a claim disputed by regional CAN officials who said no such warning was issued.

The federal government has since ordered nearly 50 colleges to shut down, with additional closures in several states as a precaution. Friday’s abduction marks the third major kidnapping in a single week, following the seizure of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi state and an attack on a church in Kwara state in which 38 worshippers were taken.

A senior U.S. State Department official said Washington is reviewing possible measures—including sanctions and expanded counterterrorism cooperation—to urge Nigeria to strengthen protections for Christian communities and uphold religious freedom. Nigerian authorities maintain that claims of targeted persecution oversimplify a complex security landscape.