Armed men attacked a Catholic school in Niger State, Nigeria, and kidnapped an unconfirmed number of students and staff early Friday. The raid on St. Mary's School in the Papiri community happened just days after another mass abduction at a school in a nearby state.
State officials confirmed the attack in Agwara Local Government Area. The Secretary to the Niger State Government, Abubakar Usman, said the government is deeply saddened by the event. He explained that the exact number of missing pupils is still unknown. Security agencies are now assessing the situation to get a full count of the victims .
The local police said the gunmen, often called "bandits" in Nigeria, stormed the school around 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. on Friday. They invaded the school hostel and took students away . The Head of Department for Disaster and Relief in Agwara, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, confirmed the timeline of the attack by telephone .
While official numbers are still pending, some local media reports suggest many students were taken. The broadcaster Arise TV reported that 52 schoolchildren were abducted . The school is a private, Catholic-run institution that serves both primary and secondary students in a mixed-gender setting .
In a troubling disclosure, the state government revealed the attack might have been prevented. Officials said they had received prior intelligence about a heightened threat level across the Niger North Senatorial District. In response, they had issued a security directive. This order suspended all construction work and required the temporary closure of all boarding schools in the zone .
“Regrettably, St. Mary’s School proceeded to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the State Government,” said Abubakar Usman. This action, he stated, exposed the pupils and staff to an “avoidable risk” . The state government's statement described the incident as both deeply distressing and preventable .
Security forces have launched a major response. The Niger State Police Command, along with military components, has been deployed to the area. They are currently combing nearby forests in a large-scale search-and-rescue operation aimed at finding and safely returning the abducted children and staff . The police spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said that more details would be provided later as the operation continues .
This attack is part of a worsening pattern of violence targeting schools and places of worship in northern Nigeria. It comes just days after a similar dawn raid on a secondary school in Maga, Kebbi State. In that incident, 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped, and at least one staff member was killed . Only one of those girls has managed to escape so far .
The security crisis appears to be spreading. In Kwara State, an attack on a church on Tuesday resulted in the deaths of two people. Dozens of worshippers were also believed to have been abducted . This violence prompted the Kwara state government to shut down more than 50 schools on Thursday as a precaution .
These events have drawn a high-level response. President Bola Tinubu has canceled planned trips to South Africa and Angola. He will stay in Nigeria to coordinate the national response to the country's deepening security challenges .
The international community has taken note of the deteriorating situation. The travel advice from both the United Kingdom and the United States highlights the severe risks in many parts of Nigeria . The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to large areas of the country. It warns that terrorists are very likely to carry out attacks, including on educational institutions . The U.S. Travel Advisory for Nigeria, which is at Level 3, urges citizens to reconsider travel due to crime, terrorism, and kidnapping .
The threat is evolving. A recent security analysis indicates that Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), a powerful Al-Qaeda-linked extremist group, is seeking to expand into Nigeria . The group, which has up to 6,000 fighters, recently recorded its first attack on Nigerian soil in Kwara State, which borders Niger State . Their expansion poses a new and serious challenge to a country already struggling with multiple security threats.
Kidnapping for ransom has become a widespread crisis in Africa's most populous nation. The kidnappers are often criminal gangs referred to as "bandits." However, terrorist groups like Boko Haram have also used mass abductions in the past. The 2014 kidnapping of 276 Chibok schoolgirls by Boko Haram brought global attention to this terrifying tactic . The lines between criminal and ideological motives are often blurred, making the situation more complex .
The Niger State Government has urged school proprietors and community leaders to strictly follow all security advisories. It reiterated that protecting lives, especially those of children, is its highest priority . As search efforts continue in the forests of Agwara, families and the nation are left waiting for news, hoping for the safe return of the students.