Over 300 children, some as young as five years old, were kidnapped from St. Mary’s School in Nigeria’s Papiri community following an attack on the institution. The incident sparked outrage and raised urgent concerns about the safety of educational institutions and the vulnerability of students in the region. According to Mary Barron, the superior general of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA), the majority of the children taken were in primary school, highlighting the lack of educational infrastructure in the area.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Barron also announced that over 50 students had managed to escape their captors. These students, aged between 10 and 18, had jumped over a wall and fled into the bush, navigating their way through the wilderness. Barron shared that the escaped students had decided to keep walking, away from their school, to avoid being captured again. This escape plan has given hope to the families and the local community, as it demonstrates the resilience of the students.
However, the incident has also raised questions about the broader context of violence against Christians in Nigeria. The Nigerian government has been criticized for its handling of such attacks, which have led to increased scrutiny from international bodies. The Trump administration’s decision to declare Nigeria a