Gunmen suspected of being terrorists raided St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State early Friday, kidnapping an undetermined number of students and staff in a brazen attack that has heightened fears over educational safety in Nigeria’s insurgency-plagued northwest.
The assault unfolded in the Papiri community of Agwara Local Government Area, where the invaders overpowered security and herded victims into the bush, witnesses said. The exact tally of abductees remains unclear as school officials compile records amid the chaos.
A source close to the institution, speaking to Daily Trust, confirmed the breach but withheld specifics, stating: “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.”
Niger State Police Command spokesperson SP Wasiu Abiodun could not be reached for comment, with repeated calls going unanswered. Efforts to contact diocesan authorities in Minna yielded no immediate response.
The incursion, the second school attack in days after bandits seized 25 girls in Kebbi State, underscores a disturbing pattern targeting learning centres for ransom and recruitment. Rights advocates decried the vulnerability of faith-based institutions, urging fortified perimeters and federal airstrikes to stem the tide. Rescue operations are underway, but analysts warn of prolonged trauma without swift intervention in Africa’s most populous nation.
