The Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has said that 227 people, including teachers and students, were abducted when bandits stormed St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara LGA, in the early hours of Friday.
The attack, which occurred between 2am and 3am, initially left the exact number of abductees unclear.
However, in an update issued Friday evening, Daniel Atori, media aide to the state CAN chairman clarified that “215 pupils and students, including 12 teachers,” were taken during the raid.
Multiple community sources who visited the school after the attack confirmed the invasion, describing it as a coordinated operation that lasted between 2am and 3am.
Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, the Head of Disaster and Relief for Agwara Local Government, also confirmed the incident, alongside Bello Gidi, media aide to the chairman of Agwara Local Government.
Speaking with SaharaReporters, Gidi said: “Yes it’s true that bandits have kidnapped students and teachers at St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School Papiri, Agwara LGA, Niger State.”
He further revealed the scale of the attack, stating: “The information that is reaching us is that they have kidnap over 100 students and teachers. Also the school is a mixed school boys and girls.”
Reacting, the Niger State government had blamed the management of St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area for the mass abduction of pupils, accusing the school of violating a security directive issued weeks earlier based on intelligence warnings.
In a press release signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Alh. Abubakar Usman, the government said it received news of the kidnapping “with deep sadness.”
It added that the “exact number of abducted pupils is yet to be confirmed” as security agencies continue their assessment.
According to the statement, the attack occurred despite prior intelligence indicating “an increased threat level in parts of Niger North Senatorial District.”
The release said the government acted on the intelligence by issuing “a clear directive suspending all construction activities and ordering the temporary closure of all boarding schools within the affected zone as a precautionary measure.”
The government, however, lamented that St. Mary’s School disregarded the instruction.
It said, “Regrettably, St. Mary’s School proceeded to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the State Government, thereby exposing pupils and the staff to avoidable risk.”
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