Sittings · Document

Adopted text 2025-12-18

Mass kidnapping of children in Nigeria, including from St Mary's Catholic school in Papiri

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 4 Sept 2026

Parliament condemns the mass kidnapping at St Mary's Catholic School and all attacks on children, teachers and educational or religious institutions, and demands the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining abductees. It calls on Nigerian authorities to strengthen school protection, implement the Safe Schools Declaration, limit school closures, ensure access to education, and conduct thorough investigations and prosecutions. It urges action against insecurity and religious, ethnic and intercommunal violence, particularly against Christian communities, and recognises underlying drivers such as resource conflict and poverty.

Key points

  1. Strongly condemns the mass kidnapping at St Mary’s Catholic School and all attacks against children, teachers and educational or religious institutions; expresses solidarity with victims.
  2. Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining abductees and calls on the Nigerian Government to ensure their safe return and conduct thorough investigations.
  3. Calls on federal and regional governments to strengthen school protection and fully implement the Safe Schools Declaration with international partners; urges acceleration of early warning systems.
  4. Expresses concern over school closures and urges authorities to limit disruptions and safeguard children’s access to education.
  5. Urges provision of alternative learning arrangements to ensure continuity of education for affected students.
  6. Calls on Nigerian authorities to intensify efforts to secure release of all civilians held by armed groups and to ensure independent investigations and prosecution of those responsible.
  7. Recognises that conflict over scarce resources, poverty, and lack of livelihood opportunities drive insecurity and violence in northern Nigeria.
  8. Urges Nigerian authorities and the international community to act against insecurity and religious, ethnic and intercommunal violence, especially targeting Christian communities, and end impunity.

Who is affected

  • Abducted children and teachers in Nigeria, including those from St Mary’s Catholic School, and their families.
  • Nigerian federal and regional governments, who are called on to protect schools and secure releases.
  • Christian communities in Nigeria, who are specifically targeted by violence.
  • International community, urged to take action against insecurity and violence.

Figures and deadlines

  • 303 students and 12 teachers and staff were abducted on 21 November 2025.
  • Approximately 50 children escaped; around 100 have been released.
  • Over 400 people, largely schoolchildren, abducted since mid-November 2025.
  • Nearly 17 000 killings of Christians between 2019 and 2023; over 7 000 victims since start of 2025.

Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text and ¶ links to the paragraph it rests on. Check the text itself before relying on it.