An unspecified number of students and staff have been kidnapped from St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
The attack occurred in the early hours of Friday, with sources telling Daily Trust that several students were taken when armed men invaded the school between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. The exact number of abductees is yet to be confirmed as the school continues to compile records.
A source within the Catholic community in Niger State confirmed the incident, saying the church will issue an official statement later today.
The Spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said details of the attack would be released in due course.
Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, Head of the Disaster and Relief Department in Agwara Local Government, also confirmed the incident by telephone, noting that security agencies and local authorities are still assessing the situation.
The attack comes just days after a similar incident in Maga, Kebbi State, where 25 students were kidnapped, raising fresh concerns over escalating insecurity targeting schools in the region. On Thursday, over 50 schools were shut down in Kwara State following repeated bandit activities.
The growing wave of attacks has prompted President Bola Tinubu to cancel planned trips to South Africa and Angola in order to coordinate the national response to the worsening security situation.
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