‘Enough Is Enough; US Blows Hot Over Abduction Of students In Niger State, Reveals Next Action
Riley Moore, a United States lawmaker, has strongly condemned the abduction of dozens of students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
The lawmaker, Moore, who expressed deep sorrow over the incident, reiterated the U.S. determination to end alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, calling for international action.
“Heartbreaking,” Moore wrote in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday. “St Mary’s Catholic School in Nigeria was attacked overnight, with more than 50 students and teachers being kidnapped.”
“Enough is enough. We must do everything we can to defend our brothers and sisters in Christ,” Rep Moore added.
Heartbreaking.
St Mary’s Catholic School in Nigeria was attacked overnight with more than 50 students and teachers being kidnapped.
Naija News House earlier reported that five days after the terrorists’ attack and abduction of 25 students in Kebbi state, terrorists in the early hours of Friday morning stormed St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting an unspecified number of students and teachers.
Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, the Head of Disaster and Relief for Agwara Local Government, also confirmed the incident, alongside Bello Gidi, media aide to the chairman of Agwara Local Government.
Speaking, Gidi said, “Yes, it’s true that bandits have kidnapped students and teachers at St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School, Papiri, Agwara LGA, Niger State.”
He further revealed the scale of the attack, stating, “The information that is reaching us is that they have kidnapped over 100 students and teachers. Also, the school is a mixed school with boys and girls.”
While Naija News House notes that the exact number of abducted persons remains unclear, community members who spoke to our correspondent said the attackers whisked away “more than a dozen” children, but the figures circulating locally have not been independently verified.
The attack comes five days after terrorists stormed the Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School in Kebbi State, abducting about 25 female students and killing at least one staff member.
A school guard was also injured during the attack, which occurred around 5:52 am.
The attackers invaded the school compound while the students were preparing for morning routines, launching their assault with sporadic gunfire.
Naija News House also gathered that the gunmen not only abducted several female students but also left a trail of fear and chaos in their wake.
Naija News House earlier reported that terrorists launched a deadly attack on Rogun Village in Kpada District of Patigi Local Government Area, Kwara State, killing two security operatives.
A security source said on Monday that the incident occurred late Sunday night when the terrorists, locally dubbed as bandits, stormed the police outpost in Rogun and opened fire on officers on duty.
According to the source, the attackers engaged the security personnel in a fierce gun duel that lasted several minutes.
Moore, a Republican lawmaker from West Virginia, recently emerged as one of the most vocal U.S. advocates against what he described as a targeted persecution, even genocide, of Christians in Nigeria.
His recent reaction to the school abduction comes amid a sustained push in Washington to address escalating violence against Christian communities in Nigeria.
On October 6, 2025, he formally called on the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to redesignate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC).
In his letter, he described Nigeria as “the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian,” citing reports that 7,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria in 2025 alone, averaging 35 per day.
He further highlighted that since 2009, between 50,000 and 100,000 Christians have been martyred; in the same period, over 19,000 Christian churches have been destroyed.
On November 7, 2025, Rep. Moore introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives condemning the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
The resolution supports using “every tool at the United States’ disposal, diplomatic, economic, humanitarian, and security, to defend Christians in Nigeria,” and backs a renewed Country of Particular Concern (CPC) designation of Nigeria.
Moore praised President Donald Trump for his decisive action in redesignating Nigeria as a CPC and said he was “proud to lead” the effort in Congress alongside House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole.
According to Moore, the redesignation of Nigeria as CPC is critical for the U.S. to hold Nigerian authorities accountable and apply pressure to protect vulnerable Christian populations.
In public appearances and media interviews, Moore has repeatedly used the term “genocide” to describe the violence against Christians in Nigeria.
Speaking on national television, he said, “This is a genocide that’s happening, and we have to stand up, and we have to speak out to stop this.”
He has also criticised parts of the Nigerian government, alleging complicit elements.
According to him, “radical Islamic terrorists”, including Boko Haram, ISIS West Africa (ISWAP), and Fulani militant groups, are behind much of the bloodshed, and that “corrupt cells” within Nigerian authorities may be aiding or failing to act.
While Moore has garnered support from faith-based advocacy groups and fellow lawmakers, his framing is not without controversy.
Some analysts argue that the violence in Nigeria, though brutal, is deeply complex, driven not just by religious extremism but also by ethnic conflict, banditry, weak governance, and economic marginalisation.
Furthermore, the Nigerian government has rejected the “genocide” narrative.
