UN deputy secretary-general, Amina Mohammed, on Saturday, voiced deep alarm over the abduction of hundreds of students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Niger State, Nigeria, demanding urgent action.

The UN deputy chief condemned the mass abduction of schoolchildren, calling for the immediate release of all those taken and emphasising the need to strengthen security measures protecting children in schools nationwide.

Initial reports indicated that 215 pupils were kidnapped early Friday, but authorities later revised the number to 303 students and 12 teachers, highlighting the scale of the incident and the grave national concern.

Leaders of the Niger Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, who visited the school on Friday, reported that students abducted included both boys and girls aged between 10 and 18 years old.

Ms Mohammed, former minister of environment in Nigeria, stressed that those responsible for the heinous crime must be identified, arrested, and held fully accountable to prevent similar incidents and ensure justice is served.

In a social media post, the UN deputy scribe stated that schools should remain sanctuaries for learning, not targets, urging the government and communities to protect children from violence in educational settings.

She emphasised the urgent need to implement measures ensuring that perpetrators face justice, while insisting that global and national actors must work together to guarantee safe, secure, and uninterrupted learning for every child.

UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, described the mass abduction as heartbreaking, especially following the recent kidnappings in Kebbi, and called for immediate, coordinated efforts to rescue the missing students.

Ms Fall expressed sympathy for families and communities affected, emphasising that all possible measures must be taken to ensure the safe recovery of students and staff, while addressing systemic security gaps in the education sector.

The UN official further insisted that it was time to fully implement the Safe School Principle, urging the Nigerian government and partners to prioritise school safety and prevent further attacks against children.

The Safe School Principle was launched at the First International Conference on Safe Schools in Oslo, Norway, in 2015, promoting international standards for protecting schools and reinforcing global commitments to student safety.

Nigeria was among the nations endorsing the Safe Schools Declaration in 2015, signalling its commitment to improving protections for educational institutions, preventing attacks, and collaborating with international partners to enhance child safety nationwide.

The UN noted that the number of students abducted from the latest Catholic school in Niger exceeds the 276 girls kidnapped during the infamous 2014 Chibok incident, highlighting the severity of the crisis.

This Niger abduction is the latest in a growing series of mass kidnappings, including 25 pupils from a Government Girls’ School in Kebbi earlier this week, escalating concern among parents, authorities, and the public.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, while security forces have been deployed to locate the students and their captors, investigating the incident and working to prevent further kidnappings in the region.

Niger State authorities reportedly closed all schools until further notice, implementing precautionary measures to protect students and teachers while security operations continue, and to restore calm and confidence in local communities.

UNICEF stated this week that it continues collaborating with government partners, civil society, and communities to strengthen child protection systems, reinforcing efforts to ensure that children are safe while pursuing education opportunities.

These actions align with the declaration that no child should ever be put at risk while seeking education, highlighting the importance of secure learning environments and the collective responsibility of governments and communities.

UNESCO’s Nigeria office condemned Friday’s mass abduction, stressing that schools must never be targets, and expressing solidarity with victims, families, and the Nigerian government while calling for the immediate release of abducted students.

The agency declared, “We stand with the victims, their families, and the Government of Nigeria,” urging urgent action for the safe release of all abducted children while denouncing attacks undermining education and safety.

(NAN)