Fri Nov 21 17:28:37 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and rewrite of the text into a news article:
Summary:
On November 21, 2025, St. Mary’s School, a Catholic boarding school in Agwara, Niger State, Nigeria, was attacked by armed men who abducted an undisclosed number of schoolchildren and staff. This attack follows the abduction of 25 schoolgirls in neighboring Kebbi State earlier in the week, along with an attack on a church in Kwara State where 38 worshippers were abducted and two killed. The Niger State government stated the school reopened without seeking clearance and thus was exposed to avoidable risk after intelligence warned of heightened threats. These attacks are part of a larger pattern of kidnappings for ransom in Nigeria, attributed to gangs and former herders. President Tinubu postponed his trip to the G20 summit to address the escalating insecurity.
News Article:
Nigerian School Hit by Kidnappers in Latest Mass Abduction
Abuja, Nigeria – November 21, 2025 – St. Mary’s School, a Catholic boarding school in Agwara, Niger State, Nigeria, was the target of a brazen attack early Friday morning, resulting in the abduction of numerous schoolchildren and staff. The incident underscores the worsening security situation in the region, coming just days after a similar abduction of 25 schoolgirls in neighboring Kebbi State.
“We will use every instrument of the state to bring these girls home and to ensure that the perpetrators of this wickedness face the full weight of justice,” Nigeria’s Vice-President Kashim Shettima said during a visit to Kebbi State on Wednesday (November 19, 2025).
According to Abubakar Usman, secretary to the Niger State government, the attack occurred at St. Mary’s School in the Papiri community. While the exact number of those abducted remains unclear, local media reports suggest as many as 52 schoolchildren were taken. The Niger State Police Command confirmed the abduction, stating that security forces have been deployed to the area.
The attack occurred despite prior intelligence warnings of heightened threats. The Niger State government criticized St. Mary’s for reopening without seeking clearance, “thereby exposing pupils and the staff to avoidable risk”.
Adding to the wave of violence, on Monday in Kwara State, gunmen attacked a church, killing 2 people and abducting 38 worshippers. The kidnappers are demanding a ransom of 100 million naira ($69,000) per abductee.
President Bola Tinubu has postponed his attendance at this weekend’s G20 summit in South Africa to address the escalating security crisis.
Nigeria has been plagued by a surge in kidnappings for ransom in recent years, with schools being particularly vulnerable targets. At least 1,500 students have been abducted in the region since Boko Haram’s kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls a decade ago. Analysts attribute the attacks to a combination of factors, including the activities of criminal gangs, former herders engaged in conflicts with farming communities, and failures to prosecute known attackers. Widespread corruption, which limits weapon supply to security forces while ensuring a steady supply to the gangs, also contributes to the ongoing insecurity.
First Piper 