Korede Abdullah 
Pope Leo XIV
LAGOS, Nigeria – Pope Leo XIV issues a forceful global appeal for the immediate release of the 315 schoolchildren, clergy, and parishioners abducted during a violent raid on St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwarra Local Government Area of Niger State.
Speaking during his Sunday address at the Vatican, the Pontiff expresses deep sorrow over the incident, stating: “I received with profound sorrow the news of the abduction of priests, faithful, and schoolchildren. I make a heartfelt plea for the swift and unconditional release of all those being held.”
His remarks intensify international attention on the worsening insecurity across northern Nigeria.
Local residents recount how dozens of armed men stormed the school in the early hours of Friday in a highly coordinated operation. Witnesses say the attackers arrived on more than 60 motorcycles and a van, forcing their way into the compound before capturing students, teachers, and members of the Catholic community.
A resident tells Africa Health Report that the operation lasted between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., adding that the exact number of abducted students remains uncertain. “The number of students taken is still unclear,” the source says, confirming that several teachers and clergy were also seized.
The school’s gatekeeper is reported critically injured after being shot during the raid. Families in Agwarra now wait anxiously as security forces intensify search efforts aimed at locating the abductors and rescuing the victims.
The attack has triggered renewed demands for stronger protection of schools and religious institutions as the nation confronts an unrelenting wave of armed violence targeting vulnerable communities.
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Otamere Gladness 
Hussaini Ibrahim 
Oluwatobi Adu