Nigerian Bishop Accuses Government of Inaction Over 250+ Abducted Schoolchildren in Niger State Amidst Rising Insecurity

Nigerian Bishop Slams Government Over Inaction on Abducted Schoolchildren in Niger State

A prominent Catholic bishop in Nigeria's Niger state has strongly criticized the government's perceived lack of meaningful action in rescuing over 250 children abducted from St Mary's Catholic boarding school in Papiri village last Friday. Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Niger chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), told the BBC that apart from compiling names, no substantial effort has been made to secure the students' release.

Conflicting Accounts on Rescue Efforts and Cooperation

The bishop's severe accusation stands in stark contrast to claims made by the Niger state police chief, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, who accused the school of non-cooperation with search and rescue operations. Bishop Yohanna, however, refuted allegations by Governor Umar Bago that the church defied an order to close the school following threat warnings, stating no such order was ever received.

The abduction at St Mary's school is part of a disturbing surge in kidnappings for ransom across Nigeria, often perpetrated by criminal gangs. The incident is the third school-related abduction within a week, prompting President Bola Tinubu to cancel his trip to the G20 summit in South Africa to address the escalating crisis.

Broader Insecurity and International Scrutiny

While the identities of the Papiri abductors remain unknown, the broader context of insecurity in Nigeria involves both criminal gangs and militant Islamist groups. Last week, the government confirmed the killing of a senior army general by jihadists in Borno state.

The international community has taken note of Nigeria's security challenges. US President Donald Trump previously threatened military intervention if the Nigerian government failed to curb violence against Christians. More recently, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth engaged with Nigeria's National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, discussing progress on stopping violence against Christians and combating West African jihadist groups. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga clarified that Nigeria refutes claims of state-sanctioned religious persecution, attributing the crisis to criminality, extremism, and land conflicts. Both nations have agreed to establish a working group for enhanced defence and security cooperation.

Search Operations and Community Impact

According to CAN's Niger chapter, 303 students and 12 staff members were initially abducted from the Papiri school, though 50 children have since managed to escape and reunite with their families. The BBC's independent assessment of police presence in Papiri found only three officers at the school and a single, unarmed checkpoint along a 60km stretch of road to the village, despite the police commissioner insisting a tactical team was deployed from an operational base in Agwara town. National police chief Kayode Egbetokun has vowed to intensify intelligence and operational efforts to rescue the remaining captives.

Adding to the recent wave, 24 girls abducted from a boarding school in Kebbi state were released last week, and 38 worshippers kidnapped from a church in Kwara state were also freed, though details of their release were not disclosed. This pervasive insecurity has forced many boarding schools across Nigeria to close, leading to parents frantically collecting their children, while authorities in populous Lagos beef up security at key locations.