By SUNTV Global Channel | December 17, 2025
Catholic religious sisters have issued a renewed and urgent call for global intervention as 165 schoolchildren abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State remain in captivity nearly a month after the attack, raising fresh concerns over their safety and wellbeing.
The children were among hundreds seized when heavily armed bandits stormed St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger State, in the early hours of November 21, 2025. The schools are managed by the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) and owned by the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, under the Kaduna Ecclesiastical Province.
In a statement shared with Vatican News and obtained by SUNTV Global Channel, the OLA Sisters revealed that many of the children still held by their captors are extremely young — some as young as five years old — and are being kept under what they described as inhumane and atrocious conditions in forest hideouts.
Partial Release, Lingering Pain
The Congregation Leader of the OLA Sisters, Sr. Mary T. Barron, confirmed that 100 abducted persons were released on December 14, bringing brief relief to grieving families and the Church community.
Those freed included:
- 14 secondary school students
- 80 primary school pupils
- 5 nursery school children
- 1 staff member
However, Sr. Barron said the joy was short-lived, as 165 victims remain in captivity, comprising:
- 11 staff members
- 35 nursery school children
- 119 primary school pupils
“The remaining children are between the ages of 5 and 12 or 13,” she said. “They were taken from their dormitories at night and are not even properly clothed. They are being held in the forest under terrible conditions. How much longer must their suffering continue?”
Global Call for Action
The OLA Sisters described the abduction as a source of deep anguish for families, the local community, and the entire congregation, urging the international community not to look away.
“We continue to pray fervently for their protection and safe return,” Sr. Barron said. “We are grateful for the global support we have received so far, but we ask religious congregations, Catholic institutions, faith communities, and people of goodwill worldwide to persist in prayer and advocacy.”
Beyond prayers, the Catholic sisters made a direct appeal to political leaders and global actors to take decisive action.
“We appeal to all who hold political power and influence to come to the aid of the Federal Government of Nigeria so that these innocent children can return home immediately,” she said.
“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.”
What Happened
According to earlier reports, the attackers — riding on motorcycles — invaded the remote school community around 2:00 a.m., operating for nearly three hours as they moved from dormitory to dormitory before marching their captives into the surrounding forests.
Initially, 315 people — including 303 students and 12 teachers — were taken. About 50 pupils managed to escape within the first 24 hours, while negotiations and security efforts later led to the release of 100 captives.
Growing Pressure on Authorities
The continued captivity of the remaining children has intensified pressure on Nigerian authorities amid rising concerns over school safety, rural insecurity, and the increasing targeting of children by armed groups.
As families wait anxiously for news, the OLA Sisters insist that silence and delay are not options.
“These children deserve to be safe, to be in school, and to be with their families,” Sr. Barron said. “The world must not abandon them.”
SUNTV Global Channel will continue to monitor developments and bring verified updates as efforts to secure the children’s release continue.
