Bandits have attacked St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in the Papiri community of Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting an unknown number of students and staff.
The armed men were said to have stormed the school between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., targeting both pupils and employees. A senior official of one of the Catholic churches in the state confirmed the attack but noted that full details were still being compiled.
“Yes, it is true, but I am not in a position to give details. The church will issue an official statement later in the day,” the source said.
Niger State Police Command spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, also acknowledged the incident and said additional information would be made available after ongoing investigations.
Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, Head of Department for Disaster and Relief in Agwara Local Government, confirmed the invasion and said authorities were still working to determine the exact number of abductees.
The attack comes just days after bandits kidnapped 25 female students from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, sparking widespread anxiety over the growing wave of school abductions across northern Nigeria.
On Thursday, more than 50 schools in Kwara State were shut down following intelligence reports of heightened bandit activities in nearby communities.
In response to the escalating crisis, President Bola Tinubu recently cancelled planned trips to South Africa and Angola to focus on directing the federal government’s security efforts.
