Number of children abducted from Catholic school in Nigeria explodes to over 300

Gunmen abducted 303 children and 12 teachers successful an onslaught connected St. Mary's School, a Catholic instauration successful Nigeria. Initial reports indicated that astatine slightest 52 had been kidnapped earlier the tally was accrued to implicit 200 children and past to its last number of 303.

Most. Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna said successful a connection that the full fig of kidnapped was determined "after a verification workout and a last census was carried out," according to The Associated Press. Yohanna is the president of the Niger authorities section of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), who visited the schoolhouse connected Friday. The AP noted that the students who were kidnapped were antheral and pistillate and ranged successful property from 10 to 18.

GUNMEN ATTACK CHURCH IN NIGERIA, KILLING TWO AND KIDNAPPING OTHERS

In this photograph released by the Christian Association of Nigeria, a antheral walks past belongings astatine the St. Mary's Catholic Primary and Secondary School aft gunmen abducted children and unit successful Papiri assemblage successful Nigeria connected Nov. 21, 2025. (Christian Association of Nigeria via AP)

No radical has travel guardant to assertion work for the attack, according to the AP. The outlet added that authorities said tactical squads and section hunters were moving to rescue the kidnapped children.

After the attack, the authorities authorities said that St. Mary's School reopened contempt warnings of accrued threats. However, Yohanna denied this claim, the AP reported.

"We did not person immoderate circular. It indispensable beryllium an afterthought and a mode to displacement blame," helium said, according to the AP.

This photograph released by the Christian Association of Nigeria shows the dormitories of St. Mary's Catholic Primary and Secondary School aft gunmen abducted children and unit successful Papiri assemblage successful Nigeria connected Nov. 21, 2025. (Christian Association of Nigeria via AP)

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The onslaught astatine St. Mary's follows a akin incidental earlier this week successful which equipped attackers kidnapped 25 girls from a boarding schoolhouse successful Nigeria’s Kebbi State and killed astatine slightest 1 staffer. The hunt for the abducted schoolgirls is inactive underway.

A pistillate looks connected arsenic she walks past a schoolroom successful Shehu Kangiwa Model Primary School successful Argungu, Kebbi State, successful bluish Nigeria connected April 12, 2025. (Leslie Fauvel / AFP via Getty Images)

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Nigeria has seen a bid of attacks connected Christians and their institutions, prompting President Donald Trump to state the West African federation a "country of peculiar concern." However, the Nigerian authorities has disputed the U.S.'s claims.

On Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz held an lawsuit highlighting the ongoing unit successful Nigeria. During the event, Waltz called the killings of Christians successful Nigeria "genocide wearing the disguise of chaos." He was joined by rap superstar Nicki Minaj, who called for spiritual state for all.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.