Terrorists stormed St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State in the early hours of Friday, abducting an unknown number of students and teachers, The News Chronicle gathered.
Community members described the raid, carried out between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m., as a highly coordinated operation.
The Head of Disaster and Relief for Agwara Local Government, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, and Bello Gidi, media aide to the council chairman, confirmed the attack.
Speaking to Journalists, 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.”
Gidi added that early reports suggest “over 100 students and teachers” may have been taken. The school is co-educational, with both boys and girls among the abductees. However, the exact number remains unverified, with some residents estimating “more than a dozen” children were kidnapped.
Security agencies have yet to release an official statement. Niger State Police Public Relations Officer Wasiu Abiodun said he was still working to confirm the incident.
The abduction comes just five days after terrorists raided Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School in Kebbi State, kidnapping around 25 female students and killing at least one staff member. A school guard was also injured in the attack, which occurred around 5:52 a.m.
The latest incident follows a deadly assault in Kwara State, where bandits killed two security operatives at a police outpost in Rogun Village, Patigi Local Government Area, on Sunday night. Security sources said the attackers engaged officers in a fierce gun battle lasting several minutes.
