The United Nations Special Envoy to Sudan and the Executive Director of Women Aid Collective (WACOL), Prof Joy Ngozi Ezeilo (SAN) has condemned the abduction of students of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
It was reported that terrorists in the early hours of Friday morning invaded St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting an unspecified number of students and teachers.
The attack described as a coordinated operation lasted between 2am and 3am, according to multiple community sources who visited the school after the incident.
Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, the Head of Disaster and Relief for the Agwara Local Government, also confirmed the incident, alongside Bello Gidi, the 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 kidnapped over 100 students and teachers. Also, it is a mixed school with boys and girls.”
Although reports vary on the number of victims, however, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) told SaharaReporters that 215 pupils and students, along with 12 teachers, were taken. During the raid, a security guard was also shot and seriously injured.
The Niger State government has acknowledged the kidnapping, but also placed partial blame on the school, claiming it resumed academic activities without government clearance despite prior intelligence of a security risk.
Reacting to the development in a strongly worded statement shared on her Facebook page on Saturday, the former Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said Nigerians are “deeply hurt” not only by the recurring attacks on schools but also by what she described as the “inadequate and often counterproductive responses” from security agencies and government officials.
“The recent tragedy at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri is truly heartbreaking—creating a wound that runs deep within our national conscience,” she said.
Ezeilo warned that shutting down schools in affected states may play into the agenda of extremist groups like Boko Haram, whose ideology is built on the belief that Western education is evil.
“How can we ensure the safety of our schools and protect the future of Nigerian children?” she asked. “Is closing schools a viable solution, or are we inadvertently giving in to extremists? How long can we allow fear to dictate our actions, and what will be the cost to our nation’s future?”
The UN envoy expressed solidarity with victims of the latest attacks and called for urgent measures to secure learning environments across the country.
“My thoughts are with victims of these recent attacks in Northern Nigeria, and I pray that they be rescued,” she added. “May God help us get through this phase of our nationhood.”
Although the police tactical units and military forces have been deployed to the forested areas around Papiri in an ongoing rescue operation, this incident is part of a broader, worsening pattern of school kidnappings across northern Nigeria.
According to a 2024 report, school abductions have occurred repeatedly, particularly in states like Niger, with criminal groups (“bandits”) responsible for dozens of mass kidnappings in recent years.
In Niger State alone, past attacks include the 2021 kidnapping of students in Kagara, when gunmen stormed a boarding school, killing one student and abducting dozens.
The insecurity has taken a heavy toll on education: according to UNICEF, many boarding schools—especially those in remote or rural areas—are more vulnerable to attacks.
Since 2021, large numbers of schools in Niger State have either shut down temporarily or closed altogether in the face of escalating threats.
The media reported on Friday that the Federal government shut down 41 Unity Colleges across the country over the escalating insecurity in the country with schools now a soft target for the bandits and terrorists.
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