A prominent Catholic leader in Nigeria has accused the government of making "no meaningful effort" to rescue over 250 children kidnapped from a Catholic boarding school in Niger state last Friday. Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna made this claim to the BBC, though state police dispute his account.

The mass abduction at St Mary's school in Papiri village has heightened tensions in a country already grappling with widespread insecurity. While the perpetrators remain unidentified, criminal gangs are known to carry out kidnappings for ransom across Nigeria.

The incident has drawn international attention, with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening military intervention if Nigeria fails to protect its Christian population. U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth recently met with Nigerian officials to discuss strategies for combating violence against Christians and terrorist groups in West Africa.

Nigerian authorities refute allegations of state-sanctioned religious persecution, attributing the security crisis to a complex mix of criminality, extremism, and land conflicts. Both nations have agreed to establish a working group to enhance defense and security cooperation.

According to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), 303 students and 12 staff members were abducted, though 50 children managed to escape. Bishop Yohanna, who leads CAN's Niger chapter, claims the government's only action so far has been to compile a list of names.

The bishop also denies accusations that the church ignored orders to close the school due to security threats. Meanwhile, state police chief Adamu Abdullahi Elleman insists that adequate security measures are in place, despite conflicting reports from BBC journalists on the ground.

This abduction is the third such incident in Nigeria within a week, forcing President Bola Tinubu to cancel his attendance at the G20 summit. The crisis has led to widespread school closures and heightened security measures across the country, particularly in Lagos state.

As the search for the abducted children continues, the incident underscores the ongoing challenges Nigeria faces in ensuring the safety of its citizens, particularly in vulnerable rural areas.