More than 300 children and staff are now thought to have been kidnapped by gunmen from a Catholic school in central Nigeria, making it one of the worst mass abductions the country has seen.
The Christian Association of Nigeria reported that 303 students and 12 teachers were taken from St Mary's School in Papiri, Niger state - a significant increase from earlier estimates.
This kidnapping forms part of a troubling trend, with armed groups in Nigeria increasingly targeting schools for ransom. The revised count surpasses the infamous 2014 Chibok abduction. Local authorities have initiated search operations, but the emotional toll on families is profound, with parents expressing their anguish over the security situation.
As the Nigerian government responds to these spills of violence by closing schools and enhancing security measures, voices of concern are multiplying. Citizens call for concrete actions to safeguard children amid ongoing threats from criminal gangs.
The mass kidnapping also surfaces against a backdrop of claims regarding religious persecution in Nigeria. While some argue that violence primarily affects Christians, government officials assert that these attacks indiscriminately target all who reject extremist ideologies.
The unfolding chaos accelerates pressure on the government, with promises for effective interventions to restore safety and prevent future tragedies.
