Gunmen kidnap 52 children from Catholic school in Nigeria, reports say

Gunmen in Nigeria kidnapped several students and staff of a Catholic school early Friday, marking the latest attack on a Christian institution.

Nigerian news outlet Arise TV, St. He said 52 children were abducted from St. Mary’s School. The Catholic institution is located in the Papiri community of Agwara local government. Associated PressHe referred to the secretary of the Niger state government, Abubakar Usman. The publication added that Usman did not specify how many children were kidnapped in the attack.

Niger State Police Command said military and security forces were deployed to the area where the attack took place early Friday, AP reported. Additionally, the Niger State Police Command, St. He said St. Mary’s educates students ages 12 to 17.

A security guard was “badly shot” in the attack, AP reported, citing a statement released by the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora.

GUNMAN PERSONS ATTACKED THE CHURCH IN NIGERIA, TWO PEOPLE WERE KILLED, OTHERS WERE KIDNAPPED

Following the attack, Usman issued a statement condemning the kidnappings and sent St. He noted that St. Mary’s made the decision to reopen despite security intelligence’s advance warning of increased threats. According to Arise TV.

“Unfortunately, St. Mary’s School continued to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking permission from the State Government, exposing students and staff to avoidable risks,” the statement said. The statement was included.

St. The attack at St. Mary’s follows a similar incident earlier this week in which gunmen kidnapped 25 girls and killed at least one staff member from a boarding school in Kebbi State, Nigeria. The search for the kidnapped female students continues.

On Wednesday, gunmen attacked the Christ Apostolic Church, killing at least two people and kidnapping the priest and 38 worshipers, according to Reuters. Video of the attack, reviewed and verified by Reuters, shows armed men entering the church and taking worshipers’ belongings as gunshots are heard. The news outlet later reported that a church official said the gunmen demanded a ransom of 100 million naira (about $69,000) per worshiper.

In this photo taken from social media, gunmen entered a church in Eruku in Nigeria’s Kwara state on November 18, 2025, and collected belongings left behind by worshipers who ran to hide after hearing gunshots. (via social media/Reuters)

RAP STAR NICKI MINAJ THANKS TRUMP FOR ADDRESSING THE PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IN NIGERIA

Nigeria has seen a series of attacks on Christians, prompting President Donald Trump to declare the West African country a “country of particular concern” due to the persecution of Christians. However, the Nigerian government disputed the US claims.

On Tuesday, US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz held an event highlighting the ongoing violence in Nigeria. During the event, Waltz called the killing of Christians in Nigeria “genocide masquerading as chaos.”

“Friends, we have an entire faith that is being erased one bullet at a time, one Bible at a time,” Waltz said.

Nicki Minaj is welcomed by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz before a panel discussion titled “Combating Religious Violence and the Killing of Christians in Nigeria” at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York City on November 18, 2025. (Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images)

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Rap superstar Nicki Minaj, who voiced her support for the Trump administration’s efforts to combat the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, spoke at Waltz’s event. Minaj lamented that “families are torn apart and entire communities live in constant fear simply because of the way they pray.”

Fox News Digital’s Ashley Carnahan and Paul Tilsley contributed to this report.