Outcry in Nigeria Over Government Inaction in School Abductions

Wed Nov 26 2025 04:44:12 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A Catholic bishop criticizes the Nigerian government for its inadequate response in rescuing over 250 abducted schoolchildren, sparking a heated debate over security and responsibility.

Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna of Niger state has condemned the Nigerian government's failure to take effective action in the rescue of 250 children abducted from St Mary's boarding school. While the bishop accuses the government of inaction, the state's police chief argues that the school failed to cooperate. The kidnap, linked to criminal gangs known for ransom demands, has intensified fears and criticisms surrounding Nigeria's security and governance. The incident is one of three recent abductions affecting the region, raising alarms over the safety of educational institutions.

Nigeria's government is making no meaningful effort to rescue more than 250 children abducted from a Catholic boarding school in the central state of Niger last Friday, the main Catholic cleric in the region has told the BBC.

But Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna's accusation was disputed by the state's police chief, who accused the school of failing to cooperate with its search and rescue operations.

It is unclear who abducted the children from St Mary's school in Papiri village, but criminal gangs have been involved in kidnappings for ransom across Nigeria.

US President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene militarily in Nigeria if the government fails to stop the killing of Christians.

Nigeria is the most populous state in Africa, with a large Christian and Muslim population. Its government says that people of all faiths and no faith are victims of insecurity in the country.

Militant Islamist groups are also waging an insurgency in Nigeria, with the government confirming last week that a senior army general had been killed by jihadists in an ambush in north-eastern Borno state.

The Niger state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) states that 303 students and 12 members of staff were abducted from the school in Papiri village, with 50 children managing to escape and reunite with their families.

Bishop Yohanna, also the chairman of the Niger chapter of CAN, remarked that the only official action taken to rescue the students has been compiling names.

I'm not aware of any effort made by the government beyond collecting the names of the students from us, he stated, countering claims made by the governor of Niger state that the church had ignored an order to close the school after threats of attacks.

We did not receive any order at any point, the bishop added.

In response to the criticism of police presence in Papiri, Niger state police chief Adamu Abdullahi Elleman stated adequate security resources had been deployed, despite reports suggesting a lack of police visibility and preparedness during the articles' investigation.

This abduction marks a troubling trend, with the Nigerian president cancelling a trip to the G20 summit to address the growing crisis, which has forced many boarding schools to shut down as parents rush to collect their children amid fears for their safety.