In a shocking escalation of insecurity, Nigeria has witnessed one of its largest mass kidnappings, with over 300 students and teachers abducted in a series of coordinated attacks. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed the latest incident, which occurred early Friday at St Mary’s co-education school in Niger state. This follows a separate abduction earlier in the week in Kebbi state, where 25 girls were taken from a secondary school. Initially, CAN reported 227 victims, but after verification, the number rose to 303 students and 12 teachers, nearly half of St Mary’s student population. The Nigerian government has yet to comment on the crisis, while Niger state governor Mohammed Umar Bago announced the closure of all schools in the state as a precautionary measure. Nearby states and the national education ministry have also ordered school closures. President Bola Tinubu has canceled international engagements, including the G20 summit in Johannesburg, to address the situation. The abductions have reignited fears of insecurity in Nigeria, a nation still haunted by the 2014 Chibok kidnapping, where nearly 300 girls were taken by Boko Haram. Citizens like Stella Shaibu, a nurse who collected her daughter from a government school near Abuja, expressed frustration over the government’s inability to ensure safety. She questioned how such large-scale abductions could occur repeatedly and voiced support for international intervention to address the crisis.