Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna of Kontagora Diocese has confirmed the deaths of two parents whose children were among those abducted from St Mary’s School last week.
In a statement, Bishop Yohanna said, “Anthony Musa passed away from a heart attack. We have not yet received details regarding the woman, as we have been unable to reach her family.”
The tragedy follows the mass abduction of more than 300 pupils and staff from the Catholic school in Niger State. Police reported that armed assailants stormed the school shortly after 2 a.m. on Friday, 21 November, forcing students and staff into nearby forests under the cover of darkness.
Nigeria has a grim history of school kidnappings. In 2014, Boko Haram abducted 276 girls from Chibok, many of whom remain missing. Subsequent incidents include the 2018 Dapchi abduction of 110 girls—only one, Leah Sharibu, remains in captivity for refusing to renounce her Christian faith—and multiple attacks on schools in Kaduna and Greenfield University, which have resulted in hundreds of students being taken since 2014. Experts estimate more than 1,500 children have been kidnapped in Nigeria over the past decade.
The government criticized St Mary’s for reopening without prior clearance, claiming it exposed students and staff to “avoidable risk.” The school itself has yet to respond. Bishop Yohanna dismissed the government’s remarks as “an afterthought” intended to shift blame.
Following Friday’s abduction, 50 students managed to escape and reunite with their families, according to a statement by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The remaining students are still in captivity.
Security concerns, particularly for Christians, have intensified in Nigeria. US President Donald Trump has ordered American forces to prepare for possible intervention to protect Christians, threatening to withdraw aid while vowing swift action against perpetrators. The Nigerian government, however, has rejected claims that Christians are being specifically targeted, noting that violence affects both Muslims and Christians.
Local communities, meanwhile, express frustration at the authorities’ inaction. Orazagas Sov, a resident of Benue State, told the Herald, “Christians are killed every day by Fulani jihadists, and the government isn’t doing anything. Trump should come for our rescue.” Bishop Yohanna also criticized the government for failing to make meaningful efforts to secure the students’ release.
The deaths of the two parents mark a further blow to Nigeria’s Christian community. Open Doors reported that in 2024 alone, 3,100 Christians were killed and 2,830 kidnapped in the country.
The Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles, who run the school, have called for international prayers for the safe return of all abducted children. Sr Mary T Barron, leader of the congregation, described the events as causing “immense anguish” and urged Catholics worldwide to unite in prayer for the children’s protection and release.
