On the night of November 21, 2025, armed gunmen abducted 52 students and several staff members from St. Mary's Catholic boarding school in Niger State. President Bola Tinubu canceled international trips and ordered Defence Minister Bello Matawalle to relocate to Kebbi for rescue efforts following the kidnappings. Former
Donald Trump called
Nigeria a "Country of Particular Concern" on religious freedoms and threatened to cut US aid unless
Nigeria addressed allegations of persecution.