The Catholic Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, on Sunday called for the release of more than 300 hostages taken from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwarra Local Government Area of Niger State on Friday.
“I learned with immense sadness the news of the kidnappings of priests, faithful, and students in Nigeria and Cameroon,” the Pope said at the end of the Angelus prayer in Rome.
He expressed “deep sorrow, especially for the many young boys and girls kidnapped and for their anguished families.”
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed on Saturday that gunmen had abducted more than 300 students and teachers in raids on two schools.
Pope Leo made a “heartfelt appeal for the immediate release of the hostages,” urging prayers that churches and schools remain places of safety and hope.
Details of the Attack
The attackers stormed the Papiri school, said to be a private Catholic institution, 1.00am and 3.00am on Friday. Witnesses reported that the gunmen arrived in large numbers, riding on over 60 motorcycles and accompanied by a van.
A handout photo taken by Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, CAN Chairman in Niger State and Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, showed empty bunk beds and scattered belongings inside a student dormitory.
The school’s gatekeeper was shot and left with serious injuries. Some teachers were also confirmed abducted by the invaders.
The attack follows another abduction on Monday in Kebbi State, where gunmen stormed a secondary school and kidnapped 25 girls.
Rising Wave of Violence
The two school abductions, along with a recent attack on a church in Eruku, Kwara State, that left two people dead and dozens abducted, highlight the worsening insecurity across the country.
The surge in violence has drawn international attention. US President Donald Trump is still threatening military action against Islamist militants in Nigeria, accusing the government of failing to protect Christians.
“Nigeria is a disgrace. They’re killing people by the thousands. It’s a genocide, and I’m really angry about it,” Trump said in a radio broadcast last week.
Nigeria has faced years of violence from groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), whose attacks have devastated communities across the North‑East and North‑West.
Schools and churches remain soft targets, with abductions increasingly used to spread fear and extract ransom.
Civil society organizations and opposition political parties have repeatedly condemned the kidnapping of students and worsening insecurity, urging the Nigerian president to prioritize the security of Nigerians over perceived obsession with politics and the 2027 presidential elections.
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