Parents of the more than 300 schoolchildren kidnapped in Nigeria’s northern Niger State continue to wait anxiously for updates, one week after armed men stormed St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri community.
Last Friday, gunmen abducted 303 students and 12 teachers in one of the largest school kidnappings the country has seen in recent years. Since the attack, 50 students have managed to escape, but hundreds more remain missing.
On Friday, distressed parents gathered at the school to provide authorities with detailed information about their children, hoping it may support the rescue mission. Among them was Joseph Dimas, whose 7-year-old son is still missing.
“The authorities need our attestation… to know how many children we have and the names of our children,”
Dimas said, explaining why parents were asked to come forward and be interviewed.
The Nigerian government has deployed tactical squads, supported by local hunters familiar with the terrain, to track the kidnappers across the forested region. Security officials say the search area is vast and difficult to navigate, slowing progress.
No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction, but officials suspect one of the armed gangs that operate across northern Nigeria. These groups have become increasingly bold, carrying out kidnappings for ransom and collaborating with factions linked to Boko Haram and other extremist networks.
Nigeria continues to battle multiple armed groups in remote and poorly policed communities. Officials say the situation has worsened as militants from the wider Sahel region enter the country seeking to strengthen links with jihadist factions.
The Papiri attack came just days after 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped in Kebbi State, highlighting a pattern of targeted attacks on educational institutions.
Security analysts warn that schools are especially vulnerable and often exploited by armed groups attempting to pressure the government into negotiations.
On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu announced a nationwide security emergency, acknowledging that kidnapping rates had reached alarming levels. The president ordered an urgent increase in recruitment into the police and military, promising stronger action against the criminal networks responsible.
For the families waiting outside the school in Papiri, each day brings more worry and fewer answers. Many parents say communication from authorities has been slow, leaving them confused about the progress of rescue efforts.
Despite the uncertainty, their hopes remain focused on one thing: the safe return of their children.
“My prayer is to see my child come back safe and sound,” said Dimas, voicing the anguish felt by many others.
As security forces intensify their search, Nigeria faces renewed pressure to protect schools and restore security in regions long neglected by the state.
