Pope urges release of 315 seized in Nigerian mass Catholic school kidnapping

Pope Leo XIV calls for the release of over 300 hostages taken from a Catholic school in one of the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria.

“I learned with immense sadness the news of the kidnappings of priests, faithful, and students in Nigeria,” he says.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Saturday said gunmen had kidnapped more than 300 students and teachers in raids on two schools in the country.

“I make a heartfelt appeal for the immediate release of the hostages,” Leo says, expressing his “deep sorrow, especially for the many young boys and girls kidnapped and for their anguished families.”

“Let us pray for these brothers and sisters of ours and that churches and schools may always and everywhere remain places of safety and hope,” he says at the end of the Angelus prayer.

Gunmen on Monday stormed a secondary school in Kebbi state, abducting 25 girls. That was followed by an early Friday raid on St Mary’s co-education school in Niger state.