Terrorists in the early hours of Friday invaded St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting an unspecified number of students and teachers.
It was gathered that the armed men stormed the school between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m., carrying out what eyewitnesses described as a “coordinated and swift operation.”
Multiple community members who visited the scene after the attack confirmed the incident, saying several students were taken away into the bush.
Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, Head of Disaster and Relief for Agwara Local Government, confirmed the attack, as did Bello Gidi, media aide to the Agwara LGA Chairman.
Speaking to 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.”
He added that preliminary information indicated that over 100 students and teachers may have been abducted, noting that the school is co-educational.
However, community sources told SaharaReporters that while the number is “very high,” the figures circulating are yet to be independently verified. Some residents placed the number at “more than a dozen,” while others feared it could be significantly higher.
Security agencies have not issued any official statement on the incident.
When contacted, the Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, said he was still working to confirm the attack.
Friday’s abduction comes just five days after terrorists raided the Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School in Kebbi State, kidnapping about 25 female students and killing at least one staff member. A security guard was also injured in that assault.
SaharaReporters also recently reported a deadly attack on Rogun village in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State, where terrorists killed two security operatives after opening fire on a police outpost.
The latest school abduction adds to the growing surge of terror attacks across northern Nigeria, heightening fears among residents and raising fresh questions about student safety in vulnerable communities.
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