Italian
More than three hundred innocents – students and teachers from the Catholic school of St. Mary in Niger State – have been torn from their classrooms by an armed commando. This is not just a kidnapping; it is a brutal warning, yet another proof that in vast areas of the most populous country in Africa, education has become a dangerous luxury and insecurity reigns supreme
NIGERIA. This attack, carried out with the audacity of those who feel untouchable, is part of a spiral of violence that has plagued Nigeria for years. A week ago, 25 students in Kebbi State. A few days earlier, the assault (fortunately resolved with the release of the hostages) on the church in Eruku. The social, religious, and educational fabric of the country is under a methodical attack, which local authorities tend to downplay, labeling it generically as the work of “bandits” for extortion purposes, even though the long and sinister shadow of jihadist groups like Boko Haram is plausible.
The Fragility of Abuja
The reaction of the Niger state government, through its secretary Abubakar Usman, is nothing short of shocking. Instead of acknowledging responsibility for the failure to protect citizens, attention is shifted, almost to blame, the diocese for reopening the school “without informing the authorities, exposing students… to an avoidable risk.” In other words: if you have been kidnapped, part of the blame lies with you for not staying at home. A statement that sounds like a surrender, if not a cynical attempt to shift the blame.
In this scenario of helplessness or, worse, denialism, the growing pressure from the United States comes into play. President Trump’s threats to “cut off aid” and the assessments from the State Department, with Jonathan Pratt openly discussing sanctions and “counter-terrorism actions” with the help of the Pentagon, reveal a deep disillusionment with Abuja’s ability to address the crisis.
The Nigerian government insists that the attacks are not a “persecution of Christians,” but affect everyone. The truth, as often happens, is more complex: the jihadist insurgency in the north and the actions of armed gangs aim to destabilize and create terror. However, the fact that Catholic and Christian schools and churches are recurring targets (despite the recent and welcome rescue of the faithful in Eruku) cannot be ignored. Washington has evidently decided that it is time to no longer rely solely on promises and to act with economic and military leverage.
Courage in Despair
In this bleak picture, the news that fifty students have managed to escape from their captors is a ray of light, an act of courage in despair that deserves all praise. The Christian Association of Nigeria calls it “good news,” but subtly underscores the ongoing tragedy for the over 250 remaining hostages.
Nigeria is a nation rich in oil, the demographic giant of Africa, yet it fails to ensure the most basic security for its youth. The condemnation from the Diocese of Kontagora is firm and their pain palpable, but it is not enough.
The kidnapping of St. Mary is not an isolated incident. It is the symptom of a faltering state, trapped between the jihadist insurrection that has caused 40,000 deaths and criminal opportunism. The ball is now in Abuja’s court: it can continue to minimize and pretend nothing is wrong, or it will finally accept that its sovereignty is threatened and inaction has a cost in human lives and international credibility. The threat of US sanctions is not just a punishment; it is the last call for serious and decisive action. The clock is ticking for the kidnapped children and for the very future of Nigeria.
