Aaaaz-Kiri church

Gunmen kidnap worshippers in Kogi amid rising bandit attacks

These events reflect growing insecurity in Nigeria’s central and north-western regions, where armed gangs frequently carry out kidnappings, raids on villages, and attacks on religious sites. At the end of November, over 250 children and 12 staff members were abducted from St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger state, in one of the largest recent incidents.