In brief
In a poignant statement, Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna accused the Nigerian government of making 'no meaningful effort' to rescue more than 250 children abducted from a Catholic school in Niger state. The Bishop's remarks come amid conflicting statements from state officials regarding the rescue efforts and the increasing threat posed by criminal gangs. The incident has spotlighted the broader security crisis in Nigeria, prompting calls for urgency in the government's response to protect citizens.
Nigeria's government is making 'no meaningful effort' to rescue more than 250 children abducted from a Catholic boarding school in the central state of Niger last Friday, the main Catholic cleric in the region has told the BBC.
Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna's accusation was disputed by the state's police chief, who accused the school of failing to co-operate with its search and rescue operations.
It is unclear who abducted the children from St Mary's school in Papiri village, but criminal gangs have been involved in kidnappings for ransom across Nigeria.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to intervene militarily in Nigeria if the government fails to stop 'the killing of Christians'.
Nigeria, the most-populous state in Africa, has a large Christian and Muslim population. Its government states that people of all faiths and no faith are victims of insecurity in the country.
Militant Islamist groups are also waging an insurgency in Nigeria, with reports confirming that a senior army general was recently killed by jihadists in Borno state.
Bishop Yohanna, who is chairman of the Niger chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), critiqued the government's response, asserting that the only official action taken thus far had been to compile the students' names without any tangible follow-up efforts.
The Niger state police chief claimed adequate officers were deployed to Papiri for the search operation, although reports from the BBC indicated a lack of visible security presence in the area.
The recent abduction at St Mary's school is part of a troubling trend affecting numerous schools across Nigeria, prompting many parents to withdraw their children from boarding institutions due to safety concerns.
In response to the mounting crisis, President Bola Tinubu announced measures to enhance security at schools and other vulnerable locations, pledging to ensure the safety of all Nigerians.
