ABUJA, Nigeria, 24 November (H.S.): A glimmer of hope has emerged amid a deepening security crisis in Nigeria, as at least 50 of the more than 300 students abducted from a Catholic school have escaped their captors. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed on Sunday that the children, seized by gunmen from St. Mary's co-education school in Niger state on Friday, have been reunited with their families.
A Nation Under Siege
The daring escape provides a rare moment of relief in a week that has seen an alarming surge in mass kidnappings across the nation. On Friday, armed assailants raided St. Mary's school, taking 303 students and 12 teachers in one of the country's largest-ever school abductions. This followed the kidnapping of 25 schoolgirls in the neighboring state of Kebbi on Monday and a deadly raid on a church in Kwara state on Tuesday, where gunmen killed two people and seized 38 worshippers.
President Bola Tinubu, who canceled his trip to the G20 Summit in South Africa to manage the crisis, announced on Sunday that all 38 worshippers from Kwara have been rescued by security forces. He also stated that 51 students from the St. Mary's kidnapping have been recovered and vowed, under my watch, we will secure this nation and protect our people.
International Outcry and Condemnation
The escalating violence has drawn sharp condemnation from international figures. On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV made a heartfelt appeal for the immediate release of the hostages during a mass at the Vatican. Expressing his deep sorrow, he urged authorities to take all necessary action to ensure the remaining captives are freed and that schools can remain safe place.
In the United States, President Donald Trump reacted forcefully to the events, describing the situation as a disgrace and a genocide against Christians in an interview on Fox News Radio. He threatened potential military action over what he termed the persecution of Christians by radical Islamists.
A Crisis of Ransom and Inaction
The recent attacks follow a grim pattern of financially motivated kidnappings by criminal gangs, locally known as bandits, that has plagued Nigeria for years. Security analysts note that remote schools are soft targets, and government efforts to outlaw ransom payments have had little effect on the lucrative criminal enterprise.
Critics argue that the government's response has been inadequate. Aisha Yesufu, co-founder of the #BringBackOurGirls movement, told AFP that authorities are more interested in propaganda than in protecting citizens' lives. As families of the escaped children rejoice, hundreds more remain in captivity, highlighting the profound security challenges facing Africa's most populous nation.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
