Bulus Dauwa Yohanna

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Papiri school mass kidnapping and partial release in northern Nigeria

As of May 2026: Key church leader and school owner advocating for victims’ families and pressing authorities

On November 21, 2025, armed men abducted 315 people—303 pupils and 12 staff—from St. Mary's Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger State. Around 50 children later escaped, but the mass abduction was one of Nigeria's largest since Chibok in 2014 and sparked national outrage that exposed deep security failures. U.S. officials weighed sanctions to pressure Nigeria to protect Christian communities and other civilians targeted in northern violence.

Updated May 10

Notable Quotes

On confirming the revised abduction figures, Yohanna said the updated tally came only after making calls, conducting a verification exercise, and discovering that dozens of students initially thought to have fled were still missing.

from Papiri school mass kidnapping and partial release in northern Nigeria · Updated May 10

Following the reported release of 100 children, his office stressed it had been “praying and waiting for their return” but had “not been duly notified by the federal government,” highlighting tensions over information sharing.

from Papiri school mass kidnapping and partial release in northern Nigeria · Updated May 10