(OSV News) — During the November 23 Angelus prayer, Pope Leo XIV appealed for the release of over 300 children and teachers abducted from a Catholic school in central Nigeria.

He said he was “deeply saddened to learn of the kidnapping,” mentioning not only Nigeria, but also Cameroon, where six Catholic priests from the Archdiocese of Bamenda were kidnapped in Ndop, Cameroon.

“I feel great pain, above all for the many young men and women who have been abducted and for their distressed families,” Pope Leo said.

“I make a heartfelt appeal for the immediate release of the hostages and urge the competent authorities to take appropriate and timely decisions to ensure their release.”

He asked for prayers that “churches and schools may always and everywhere remain places of safety and hope.”

The number of children abducted from a Nigerian Catholic school on November 21 has been updated to 303 schoolchildren, the Christian Association of Nigeria said November 22. Twelve teachers also have been taken by gunmen. Earlier reports indicated that 215 schoolchildren had been abducted.

The students were both male and female and ranged in age from 10 to 18, CAN said in a statement.

Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna said 88 students were “captured after they tried to escape” during the attack, and a final census carried out confirmed the number of kidnapped children is bigger.

Attack details

The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora in Nigeria’s Niger state confirmed the kidnapping in a statement issued November 21.

Signed by the diocesan secretary, Father Jatau Luka Joseph, the statement indicates that gunmen attacked St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, in the Agwarra local government area, between 1 and 3 a.m. local time on November 21.

As they abducted students and teachers, the gunmen badly shot security personnel.

The diocese said it “strongly condemns the attack and expresses deep concern for the safety of the kidnapped children and their families.”

“Security agencies were immediately informed and have begun coordinated efforts to ensure the safe rescue and return of the victims,” Father Jatau said in the statement, assuring that the diocese “is actively collaborating with security operatives, community leaders, and government authorities.”

The diocese urged the public to remain calm, support security efforts, and continue praying for the safe and quick return of all those abducted.

The Christian Association of Nigeria also condemned the attack and expressed “deep concern for the safety of the kidnapped children and their families.”

“CAN also reaffirms our commitment to the protection of children and promises to provide further updates as verified information becomes available,” the statement said. “May the Lord grant quick release to those abducted and continue to protect his people from all dangers.”

International response

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the “renewed violence against Christian communities in Nigeria.”

“Religious freedom is an inviolable right: we call on the Nigerian government to strengthen the protection of Christian and all religious communities and to prosecute those responsible for these brutal attacks,” she said on X.

“Italy expresses its deepest sympathy to the victims and to the communities in Nigeria who today feel threatened because of their religious beliefs,” Meloni said.

Niger state’s Police Command said it had already deployed police to Papiri to ensure that the kidnapped students and teachers are freed.

“Police tactical units, military components, and other security agencies have moved to the scene, combing the forests with a view to rescue the abducted students,” said Wasiu Abiodun, public relations officer for the police.

He said the goal is “to rescue the students unhurt.”

The Niger state kidnapping comes just five days after a similar attack in neighboring Kebbi state, where 25 girls were abducted from a government school. The vice principal of the school was killed during that attack.

On November 19, attackers stormed Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, killing three worshippers and abducting several others, including the pastor.

Pattern of violence

No group has taken responsibility for the string of attacks, but advocates now say strongly that what happens to Christians in Nigeria is genocide.

“Is there anyone who can say that there is no Christian genocide in Nigeria?” asked Emeka Umeagbalasi, director of the Catholic-inspired nongovernmental organization Intersociety.

“There is a deliberate plan to wipe out Christianity from Nigeria,” he told OSV News November 21.

The latest Intersociety report revealed that an average of 32 Christians are killed in Nigeria every day. The report published in August indicates that as many as 7,000 Christians were massacred across Nigeria in the first 220 days of 2025.

It said at least 185,000 people, including 125,000 Christians and 60,000 moderate Muslims had been killed in Nigeria since 2009.

The report, which covers the period from 2010 to October 2025, details the destruction of 19,100 churches and the seizure of 1,100 Christian communities by Islamic extremist forces allegedly protected by the government.

The NGO also issued an updated version, indicating that between October 28 and November 17, 113 Christians were killed in Nigeria, and 135 others were abducted, according to Umeagbalasi.

The report also highlights a pattern of targeting spiritual leaders, with 600 clerics abducted and dozens more killed or missing.

“I just don’t know what to say anymore after this latest kidnapping attack in Niger State, Nigeria, at St. Mary’s Catholic School,” Sean Nelson, senior counsel of ADF International Christian advocacy group, said on X on November 21.

U.S. response

“The terrorists want to destroy the futures of a generation of young girls & boys. They want to destroy Christians,” he said. “They are enemies of civilization,” he concluded.

Videos posted on social media indicated that a statue of Virgin Mary was vandalized and burned on the premises of St. Mary’s school, from where over 300 children were taken November 21.

Nigeria returned to the U.S. list of countries of “particular concern” over Christian persecution with President Donald Trump announcing the designation October 31 to protect Christianity, which he said was “facing an existential threat in Nigeria.”

He also threatened to halt all aid to Nigeria and launch military action if the government fails to stop the killings. He later instructed the Department of Defense, which he has nicknamed Department of War, to prepare for possible “action” — a move that brought mixed reactions from church leaders in Nigeria.