In addition to 315 school pupils, twelve teachers are said to have also been abducted, says spokesperson, Daniel Atori, for the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).- I have just returned from a visit to the school. There I met the parents of the children to assure them that we are cooperating with the authorities and security agencies to ensure that the children are rescued and brought back safely, says Atori to the AP news agency on Friday evening.

CAN is an umbrella organization for a number of Christian denominations in Nigeria.

Earlier in the day, the local TV station Arise reported that 52 school children had been abducted.

missing four grandchildren

The attack was aimed at St. Mary’s school in the town of Agwara in the state of Niger. The state authorities have not stated the number of pupils or teachers who have been abducted, or who they suspect of being behind it.

The state goverment has not confirmed the figure.

– The exact number of students has not yet been confirmed, said Abubakar Usman in the state government in a statement earlier on Friday.

Classrooms looked like this after the abduction.
Photo: AFP

This image, released by the Christian Association of Nigeria, shows dormitories at St. Mary’s Catholic primary and secondary school after armed men abducted children and staff in the Papiri community in Nigeria, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025.

Nigeria: More Students Abducted

Over 200 students have been kidnapped from a school in Nigeria. This latest attack happened in the state of Kaduna,in the north of the country.

What Happened?

Armed men attacked the school late Monday night. they broke through the school’s security and took the students. It’s not yet clear exactly how many students are missing, but officials say it’s over 200.

This isn’t the frist time schools have been targeted in Nigeria. There’s a growing problem with kidnappings for ransom in the region.

Rent Money

The incident occurs a few days after 25 girls were abducted from a boarding school in the state of Kebbi, north-west Nigeria.

On Friday there were also reports that 38 members of a church have been abducted in the state of Kwara. A representative of the church tells Reuters that armed men abducted the 38, and that they demand money for their release.

Kidnappers frequently enough ask for ransom – money – in exchange for releasing those they’ve taken. Authorities haven’t confirmed if a ransom demand has been made in the Kaduna school abduction.

Government Response

The Nigerian government says it’s doing everything it can to find the missing students. The military has been deployed to the area to search for them. They’re working to secure the release of all those who’ve been kidnapped.

These abductions highlight the ongoing security challenges in Nigeria, especially in the north. Many people are calling for more to be done to protect schools and communities.