Kidnapping surge sparks fear across some cities in Nigeria

In the capital, Abuja, on Sunday (November 23), people returning from church spoke of constant fear.    Businesswoman Ifeoma Aneke said people were too scared to sleep soundly.

"I don't think anybody feels safe," she said, adding that any noise at night causes people to wake up. "Nowhere is safe in Nigeria right now."

Student Christian Aminu urged authorities to station security personnel at churches, schools, and other public facilities so "people can be safe when they are at their places of duty."

This reaction comes after authorities in Nigeria's Niger state ordered all schools to close following a mass kidnapping, the state governor said on Saturday (November 22, 2025), as security forces scramble to rescue abducted students.

More than 300 children and staff are thought to have been abducted from St. Mary's Catholic School in Niger state on Friday, one of the worst mass kidnappings ever recorded in the country. The Christian Association of    Nigeria raised its estimate to 315 people taken, up from 227.

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago said the closure affects all educational institutions. "Our mission today is to see how we can rescue the children," he said.