【By Observer Net, Qi Qian】

At around 3 a.m. local time on November 21, a group of armed men rode motorcycles to a Catholic boarding school where the children were still asleep. According to eyewitnesses, they fired into the air and then directly went to the primary school dormitory, abducting a large number of students (aged 8 to 18).

This mass abduction took place at St. Mary's School in Niger State, northwestern Nigeria.

According to a report by The Washington Post, many details of this incident remain unclear, including the identity of the kidnappers and the exact number of children abducted, estimated to be between 50 and 100. The Nigerian government has not commented yet.

However, according to The Guardian, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) reported that after verification, as many as 303 students and 12 teachers were abducted. Reuters said that if the data is accurate, this is the largest abduction in Nigeria since March 2024.

It is worth noting that although such events are common in this long-term unstable region, this large-scale abduction occurred amid tense relations between the United States and Nigeria. According to U.S. media reports, President Trump has recently repeatedly threatened to attack Nigeria, as he saw news that the Nigerian government "allowed Islamic terrorists to kill Christians."

Nigeria: Mass Abduction at a Catholic School - Foreign Media

Basuna Magaji, 54, is the uncle of four students from St. Mary's School, which is considered one of the best schools in the area. He said the abduction happened around 3 a.m., and his 20-year-old nephew and 16-year-old niece managed to escape, but his brother's two youngest children—a 11-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy—were kidnapped.

On the afternoon of the 21st, the local government announced that all schools would be immediately closed "to protect the lives of students, teachers, and school staff." A spokesperson, Bello Gidi, said the government was still trying to determine how many students had been abducted.

The Niger State government issued a statement saying that there is reliable information indicating a high risk of attacks in the near future, and the school ignored the government's instructions to close. Unfortunately, the school continued to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking permission from the state government, thereby exposing students and staff to avoidable risks.

Due to the frequent abductions in recent times, the state had previously ordered some schools to close.

Nigerian President Tinubu canceled his trip to South Africa and Angola. AFP reported that Tinubu has ordered security forces to enter a high alert status and tasked the Minister of State for Defense, Hajji Bello Matava, with leading the rescue of the kidnapped people.

Analysts say that in this long-term unstable region, criminal gangs operate with impunity, targeting schools and religious sites to take hostages for ransom. However, this incident occurred while Trump was threatening to attack Nigeria.

Lately, Trump threatened that if the Nigerian government could not resolve the "persecution of Christians," he would immediately stop all aid to Nigeria and likely take military action. On the 20th, the U.S. "War Secretary" Hagel met with a Nigerian security leaders delegation at the Pentagon to discuss issues such as "stopping violence against Christians in Nigeria."

The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement saying that the U.S. claims are inconsistent with the facts, and Nigeria will continue to combat violent extremism, protect citizens, respect religious beliefs and pluralism, and abide by a rules-based international order.

In response, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Mao Ning stated on November 4 that as a comprehensive strategic partner, China firmly supports the Nigerian government in leading its people on a development path suitable for its national conditions, opposes any country interfering in the internal affairs of other countries under the pretext of religion or human rights, and opposes threats of sanctions and military actions.

After the latest kidnapping incident, U.S. Republican Representative Riley Moore from West Virginia posted on social media that the situation at St. Mary's School was "heartbreaking." He wrote, "Enough. We must do everything possible to protect our Christian brothers and sisters." Trump has appointed Moore to lead an investigation into the killing of Christians in Nigeria.

Screenshot of the tweet

The Washington Post noted that Nigeria has a population of 230 million, with about half being Christian and half Muslim. Although U.S. government officials have focused on the dangers faced by Christians, experts point out that Muslim communities are also frequently victims, and many attacks are not motivated by religion. Analysis suggests that the St. Mary's School abduction was likely carried out by gangsters, but it could also be the work of an Islamic extremist group.

"The relationship between gangs and Islamic extremists involves both competition and cooperation, possibly a mix of both," said senior analyst Conphidens Makhari from the Lagos-based consulting firm SBM Intelligence. In summary, "economic motives are very strong."

According to a report from SBM, nearly 1,000 abductions occurred nationwide in Nigeria from July 2024 to June this year, with 4,722 people abducted. The report found that the kidnappers received ransoms equivalent to $1.7 million.

Makhari said that ransoms are usually paid jointly by federal and state governments and relatives. Most school abductions occur in non-religious government institutions, making the St. Mary's School abduction particularly "notable." He said, "This will surely attract more attention, and the Nigerian government will face more pressure."

Nigerian expert James Barnett also pointed out that gangs target opportunities rather than ideology. He mentioned that the 24 girls abducted this week came from Muslim families, while the children abducted on Friday came from a Catholic school.

Nigerian analyst Dengiye Fa Anghapur said that the Nigerian government can use U.S. aid to address the crisis, but any assistance should be "more strategic than tactical." He warned, "Our country is very divided," and if the U.S. intervenes strongly, "it cannot be guaranteed that the situation will not escalate."

For a long time, the plight of Nigerian Christians has been a topic of concern for American conservatives. During his previous term, Trump designated Nigeria as a "country of particular concern" due to "serious violations of religious freedom," but the Biden administration later revoked the decision.

CNN recently reported that as he returns to the presidency, American conservatives are once again increasing pressure on the Nigerian government to curb violence against Christians. Trump received widespread support from evangelical Christians during his campaign and promised to fight anti-Christian prejudice. White House officials have previously stated that protecting Christians is an important principle of their foreign policy.

French Nigerian expert Vincent Foucher believes that Trump's move is both catering to his evangelical supporters in the U.S. and possibly applying pressure for future mineral and oil negotiations. He pointed out that Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer and is rich in various minerals, but due to long-term mismanagement, the mining industry has developed little.

"This fully aligns with Trump's transactional mindset," Foucher said, "there will likely be negotiations between the U.S. and Nigeria on rare earth minerals and oil, which are important to the U.S. economy."

This article is an exclusive article from Observer Net. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

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