An unconfirmed number of students and staff of St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, have been abducted following a late-night attack by terrorists.
The raid, which occurred in the early hours of Friday, has thrown the quiet community into shock, with authorities still struggling to determine the actual number of those taken.
A source from one of the Catholic churches in Niger State confirmed the abduction to Daily Trust, noting that the institution was still compiling attendance records to ascertain how many students and staff were missing.
“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 told Daily Trust.
Efforts to obtain clarification from the Niger State Police Command are ongoing, with command spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, promising to provide updates later.
The Head of Department for Disaster and Relief in Agwara LGA, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview.
He revealed that the terrorists invaded the school between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m., adding that the exact number of abductees remains uncertain as authorities continue their assessment.
The attack comes barely days after gunmen kidnapped 25 students from a secondary school in Maga, Kebbi State, intensifying fears about the worsening security situation in the North-Central and North-West regions.
Only on Thursday, over 50 sschools were shut down in parts of Kwara State due to renewed bandit attacks that have left communities in panic.
The rising wave of school abductions has forced President Bola Tinubu to cancel scheduled trips to South Africa and Angola, as he coordinates national response efforts to the escalating crisis.
Security agencies have launched a search-and-rescue operation, but details remain unclear as the community awaits an official briefing.
