Bandits have attacked St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting an unspecified number of students and staff.
Sources said the raid took place during the night, with several students taken. A representative from a local Catholic church confirmed the incident but noted that the school was still compiling records. “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,” he said.
The Niger State Police Command, through spokesperson SP Wasiu Abiodun, said more details would be provided later. Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, Head of Disaster and Relief for Agwara Local Government, confirmed the attack, saying it occurred between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., and that the exact number of abducted students and staff is still being verified.
The attack comes days after a similar incident in Maga, Kebbi State, where 25 students were kidnapped, raising further concerns about the growing insecurity in northern schools. On Thursday, more than 50 schools in Kwara State were closed due to escalating bandit activity.
President Bola Tinubu recently cancelled his scheduled trips to South Africa and Angola to focus on coordinating the federal government’s response to the worsening security situation across the country.
