An overnight attack on St. Mary’s School in the Papiri settlement of Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State, has left several pupils and staff members abducted, with authorities still trying to determine the exact number.
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The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday when armed men stormed the Catholic-run institution and took away a group of students and employees. Local sources reported that a significant number of pupils were seized during the raid.
A representative of a Catholic parish in Niger State confirmed the abduction but said the school was still verifying its records before issuing a formal statement. Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, who heads Disaster and Relief for Agwara LGA, said the attackers struck between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., and that officials were still assessing how many individuals were taken.
The attack comes shortly after a similar incident in Maga, Kebbi State, where 25 girls were abducted, and amid rising insecurity that forced more than 50 schools to shut down in Kwara State on Thursday. The worsening situation prompted President Bola Tinubu to cancel planned trips to South Africa and Angola to oversee security responses.
The Niger State Police Command later confirmed that a coordinated rescue operation had begun. Police spokesperson SP Wasiu Abiodun said tactical teams, supported by the military and other security agencies, had been deployed to the area and were combing nearby forests. He added that the exact number of abducted students was still being verified and assured that updates would be provided as the operation progresses.
