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303 Students Kidnapped in Niger's Largest Mass Abduction Yet

11/25/2025

44 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Gunmen abducted 303 students and 12 teachers from St Mary’s School in Papiri, Niger state, around 2 a.m., marking one of the largest mass kidnappings since the 2014 Chibok attack.
Some students managed to escape.
President Bola Tinubu postponed foreign travel to address the crisis.
The government has reshuffled military leadership amid rising kidnappings, driven by criminal gangs.
Families paid over $2 billion in ransom in the past year.

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Story summary

Gunmen abducted 303 students and 12 teachers from St Mary’s School in Papiri, Niger state, around 2 a.m., marking one of the largest mass kidnappings since the 2014 Chibok attack.
Some students managed to escape.
President Bola Tinubu postponed foreign travel to address the crisis.
The government has reshuffled military leadership amid rising kidnappings, driven by criminal gangs.
Families paid over $2 billion in ransom in the past year.