Scores of students and teachers were abducted on Friday morning when terrorists stormed St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, local sources have confirmed.
The attack occurred between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m., throwing the school and surrounding community into panic. Witnesses described the raid as a coordinated operation, carried out with precision and speed.
Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, Head of Disaster and Relief for Agwara LGA, and Bello Gidi, media aide to the local government chairman, both verified the incident to SaharaReporters.
“Yes, it is true that bandits have kidnapped students and teachers at St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School,” Gidi said. “The school is mixed, with both boys and girls, and early reports suggest over 100 people may have been taken, though the exact numbers are not yet confirmed.”
Some community members told reporters that “more than a dozen” children were taken, but figures remain unverified. Security agencies are yet to release official details, with Niger State Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun saying efforts were ongoing to confirm the incident.
Friday’s abduction comes just five days after terrorists attacked Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School in Kebbi State, kidnapping about 25 female students and killing a staff member during a dawn raid. A school guard was also injured in that attack.
The gunmen at St. Mary’s Papiri reportedly struck while students were preparing for morning routines, using sporadic gunfire to terrorise the school before whisking victims away. Community sources said the attackers left behind chaos and fear in their wake.
The incident is part of a growing wave of violent assaults on schools in northern Nigeria. Earlier in the week, terrorists attacked Rogun Village in Kpada District, Patigi LGA, Kwara State, killing two security operatives after a prolonged gunfight at a police outpost.
The repeated school attacks have heightened concerns over student safety and prompted calls for urgent intervention by security agencies.
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