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Abducted Niger school pupils now 303 – CAN
A total of 303 schoolchildren and 12 teachers were abducted by gunmen during an attack on St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in north-central Nigeria’s Niger state, the Christian Association of Nigeria said Saturday, updating an earlier tally of 215 schoolchildren.
The tally was changed “after a verification exercise and a final census was carried out,” according to a statement issued by the Most. Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Niger state chapter of CAN, who visited the school on Friday.
He said 88 other students “were also captured after they tried to escape” during the attack. The students were both male and female and ranged in age from 10 to 18.
The school kidnapping in Niger state’s remote Papiri community happened four days after 25 schoolchildren were seized in similar circumstances in neighboring Kebbi state’s Maga town, which is 170 kilometers (106 miles) away.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the abductions and authorities have said tactical squads have been deployed alongside local hunters to rescue the children.
Yohanna described as false a claim from the state government that the school had reopened for studies despite an earlier directive for schools in that part of Niger state to close temporarily due to security threats.
“We did not receive any circular. It must be an afterthought and a way to shift blame,” he said, calling on families “to remain calm and prayerful.”
School kidnappings have come to define insecurity in Africa’s most populous nation, and armed gangs often see schools as “strategic” targets to draw more attention.
UNICEF said last year that only 37% of schools across 10 of the conflict-hit states have early warning systems to detect threats.
Niger state has now shut down all schools as a measure to forestall other kidnappings. The decision was in a bid to protect lives and property, Niger Gov. Umar Bago told reporters Saturday after meeting with security officials in Minna.
“It is the decision of stakeholders today to close all schools in Niger state. All schools are closed till further notice. So we have declared Christmas holiday for all schools in Niger state,” Bago said.
The kidnappings are happening amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims of targeted killings against Christians in the West African country. Attacks in Nigeria affect both Christians and Muslims. The school attack earlier this week in Kebbi state was in a Muslim-majority town.
The attack also took place as Nigerian National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu was visiting the U.S. where he met Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday.
Gunmen on Thursday night ambushed and beheaded a 30-year-old man, Elisha Abbas Saku, at Riwhie-Chwo in Nzharuvo, Miango District of Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident occurred around 10 pm when the gunmen stormed the community, throwing residents into panic and confusion.
A statement issued on Friday by the Irigwe Youth Movement described the killing as a brutal ambush.
The group’s National Publicity Secretary, Joseph Yonkpa, who signed the statement, prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul while calling for divine comfort for the entire Irigwe Nation.
“Yesterday night, 16th April 2026, gunmen ambushed and beheaded Mr. Elisha Abbas Saku, 30 years old, at Riwhie-Chwo, Nzharuvo, Miango District of Bassa LGA, Plateau State,” the report stated. “May his soul rest in peace, and may God comfort the entire Irigwe Nation.”
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the release of results for 632,788 candidates who participated in the first day of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), held on Thursday.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Board’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, on Friday.
According to the Board, candidates can now access their results by sending “UTMERESULT” via SMS to either 55019 or 66019, using the same phone number registered during the examination process.
At this stage, only result viewing is available, as printing of result slips has not yet been enabled.
JAMB emphasised that the UTME exercise is still ongoing, adding that additional batches of results will be released progressively as marking and processing continue.
The Board also issued a stern warning against any attempts to manipulate or falsify results.
It cautioned candidates against altering SMS messages received from its official platforms to misrepresent their scores to others, including parents and guardians.
JAMB Releases Results of 632,788 Candidates from Day One of the 2026 UTME
The results of candidates who sat the 2026 UTME on Thursday, 16 April 2026, have been released and are now available for viewing.
To check their results, candidates should send UTMERESULT via SMS to 55019…
— Fabian Benjamin (@FabianB58246501) April 17, 2026
Describing such actions as a serious criminal offence, JAMB disclosed that it has already taken action against offenders. “Two candidates and one parent are currently in custody for engaging in result falsification using AI and other electronic means,” the statement revealed.
The Board reiterated that anyone found guilty of such misconduct would face the full weight of the law.
JAMB urged candidates to adhere strictly to official channels and maintain integrity throughout the examination process, as it continues efforts to ensure a credible and transparent admissions system in Nigeria.
The Arewa APC Forum, Kano State chapter, has announced the withdrawal of its support for the second-term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, citing concerns over governance and leadership direction.
In a statement dated April 17, 2026, the forum said its decision followed “extensive consultations and careful reflection” on the state of affairs at the federal level.
The group stated that it could no longer, “in good conscience,” continue to support the current administration, which it criticised over alleged issues including nepotism, incompetence, and corruption.
“We believe that leadership must inspire confidence, uphold fairness, and demonstrate a sincere commitment to national unity, institutional integrity, and responsible governance,” the statement read.
It added that where such values are persistently undermined, “silence becomes complicity.”
The forum further declared that its confidence in the current political direction has been withdrawn, urging its members to align with this position in future political engagements.
The statement was signed by Sallah Hakilu Kibiya, chairman of the forum in Kano State.
The development signals potential cracks within support structures linked to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly in the northern region, as political alignments begin to shift ahead of the next electoral cycle.
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