- Students, Staff Abducted As Terrorists Attack Catholic School In Niger .
- Authorities still compiling records as search and rescue efforts begin.
- Incident adds to rising school abductions across northern Nigeria.
An unconfirmed number of students and staff of St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, were abducted after terrorists launched a late-night attack on Friday. The incident has thrown the quiet community into fear, with officials still trying to determine the exact number of victims.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that a source from one of the Catholic churches in Niger State confirmed the development, explaining that the institution was still compiling attendance records to establish how many students and staff were missing. The source noted that the church would release a formal statement later.
Efforts to reach the Niger State Police Command for clarification are ongoing, as the command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said updates would be provided in due course. The Head of Department for Disaster and Relief in Agwara LGA, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, also confirmed the attack, stating that the assailants stormed the school between 2 am and 3 am. He added that the actual figure of abductees remained unclear as assessments continued.
The incident comes days after gunmen kidnapped 25 students from a secondary school in Maga, Kebbi State, heightening public concern about worsening insecurity across the North-Central and North-West regions. On Thursday, more than 50 schools were shut down in parts of Kwara State after renewed bandit attacks triggered widespread panic.
President Bola Tinubu has cancelled scheduled trips to South Africa and Angola as he coordinates national response efforts to the rising wave of school abductions. Security agencies have begun a search-and-rescue mission, though details remain limited as the community awaits an official briefing.
