Papiri kidnapping
| Part of the Nigerian bandit conflict | |
| Date | November 21, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Time | ~02:00 a.m. WAT (UTC+01:00) |
| Duration | ~3 hours |
| Location | Papiri, Niger State, Nigeria |
| Coordinates | 10°37′30″N 4°24′09″E / 10.625°N 4.4025°E |
| Type | Kidnapping, child abduction |
| Target | St Mary's School |
| Missing | 0 |
| Victims | 315 (303 students, 12 staff members) |
| Escaped | 50 |
| Released | 250 |
The Papiri kidnapping occurred on 21 November 2025 when unidentified gunmen abducted 315 Nigerian Catholics from St Mary's School in Papiri, Niger State, Nigeria. The victims included 303 students and 12 teachers. Following the attack, all other schools in Niger State, as well as many in nearby states, closed indefinitely. Fifty students escaped soon after the kidnapping and returned to their families. In December, another hundred students were released by the kidnappers. On December 21st, the president's office said that all of the children had been released.