Nigeria's Ongoing Struggle with School Abductions

Martha Mathias, a teacher at St Mary's Catholic School in Nigeria, faces a harrowing ordeal as gunmen abduct her husband and many students. The mass abduction, part of a troubling trend, underscores the country's struggle with security. Government promises action amid ongoing rescue efforts and rising fears.

Martha Mathias was asleep at home with her family when gunmen stormed St Mary's Catholic School in central Nigeria. The assailants abducted her husband and over 300 children and staff, marking one of Nigeria's worst school kidnappings in a decade.

Amid the chaos, Mathias' young daughter was threatened by the attackers, who warned her to be quiet or face severe consequences. Her father is among 12 staff members and around 253 students still missing, despite ongoing rescue efforts launched by the government.

President Bola Tinubu has vowed stronger action against such criminal acts and announced the hiring of 30,000 more police officers to bolster security. The country remains on edge as mass abductions for ransom continue, prompting school closures in several northern states.

(With inputs from agencies.)