Gunmen in Nigeria kidnapped 303 students and teachers at a Catholic school in the northwest on Friday, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said, the latest in a spate of school attacks this week that has forced the government to shut 47 colleges.
Friday's incident in Niger state was the largest mass kidnapping of school children since the March 2024 abduction of more than 200 students in northern Kaduna state.
Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, the CAN chairman in Niger said he had travelled to the school. He said some students managed to escape, but gave no details.
Earlier, police and local government officials in Niger state confirmed the kidnapping from St. Mary's School, but they did not say how many.
Nigeria's security situation has been under heightened scrutiny since U.S. President Donald Trump threatened "fast" military action if the country fails to crack down on the killing of Christians.
In the first high-level meeting between the U.S. and Nigeria since Trump's threat, Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth wrote on X that he met Nigeria's national security advisor on Thursday to discuss the persecution of Christians.
Nigeria's government says Trump's claims that Christians face persecution in Nigeria are a misrepresentation.
Police said security agencies were on the scene of Friday's attack on the Catholic school, combing nearby forests to try to rescue those abducted.
The Niger state government said the school had ignored an instruction that boarding schools should be closed because of intelligence indicating a high chance of attacks.
Other attacks this week include the kidnapping on Monday of 25 schoolgirls from a boarding school in Kebbi state and an attack on a church in Kwara state, in which a church official told Reuters that 38 worshippers were taken by gunmen.
The church official said the gunmen had issued a ransom demand of 100 million naira (roughly $69,000) per worshipper.
Kebbi, Kwara and Niger states border one another.
This week's attacks prompted Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to cancel trips to South Africa and Angola, where he was due to attend a G20 summit and an African Union-European Union summit.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry says it has conveyed its initial position to the United States through Qatar over Washington’s response to Tehr...
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 5 October 2026. These are the top five elections making headlines around the world....
The United States has withdrawn all 12 of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain, just a week after several people were arrested over an alle...
Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions agreed under a June memorandum, as President Donald Trump signals he may soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran.
Uzbekistan’s grape exports have grown rapidly. In January-August 2025, the country exported 86,200 tonnes of fresh grapes worth $78.3 million to 19 countries but can it turn these crops into a recognisable international product?
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 5 October 2026. These are the top five elections making headlines around the world.
The United States has withdrawn all 12 of its B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain, just a week after several people were arrested over an alleged plot targeting the air base.
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday called a snap election for 29 November in a bid to strengthen his mandate after a fragmented parliament rejected the government's key housing decrees last week amid widespread protests.
King Charles’ younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, has launched legal action against Thames Valley Police over his arrest in connection with an investigation into documents allegedly passed to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the Telegraph reported on Sunday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment