In a harrowing escalation of Nigeria’s security challenges, 303 schoolchildren and 12 teachers were abducted by armed assailants during a brazen attack on St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Niger state. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed the updated figures on Saturday, revising an earlier count of 215 students. The final tally was determined after a thorough verification process led by the Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of CAN’s Niger state chapter, who visited the school on Friday. Yohanna revealed that 88 additional students were captured while attempting to flee during the assault. The victims, aged between 10 and 18, included both boys and girls. This incident occurred just four days after 25 schoolchildren were similarly abducted in Kebbi state, located 170 kilometers away. No group has claimed responsibility for the kidnappings, but authorities have deployed tactical squads and local hunters to rescue the victims. Yohanna dismissed claims by the state government that the school had reopened, labeling them as false and urging families to remain calm. School kidnappings have become a grim hallmark of Nigeria’s insecurity, with armed gangs targeting educational institutions to maximize attention. UNICEF reported last year that only 37% of schools in conflict-affected states have early warning systems. The attacks coincide with U.S. President Donald Trump’s allegations of targeted violence against Christians in Nigeria, though such incidents affect both Christian and Muslim communities. The recent Kebbi state attack occurred in a predominantly Muslim area. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, was in the U.S. meeting with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday.