By Deborah Nnamdi
Armed bandits in the early hours of Friday attacked St Mary’s Girls’ School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting an unconfirmed number of students. The incident occurred just four days after a similar assault on Girls’ Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State.
A resident of Papiri, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers arrived around 2:00 a.m. in large numbers, riding motorcycles. He disclosed that the bandits snatched a car in the town and used it to move the abducted students, but the vehicle broke down a few metres from the school.
“Unfortunately, a few metres away from the school, the car developed a mechanical fault and was abandoned. Some of the students used the opportunity to escape into the bushes,” he said, adding that others scaled the school fence to flee during the attack. The exact number of kidnapped pupils remained unknown as of press time.
The Niger State Government, through the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, said it received the report of the abduction “with deep sadness.” Usman noted that the government had earlier suspended construction activities and ordered the temporary closure of all boarding schools in parts of Niger North following intelligence reports indicating heightened security threats.
He said the attack occurred despite the government’s directive. “Regrettably, St. Mary’s School proceeded to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the State Government, thereby exposing pupils and the staff to avoidable risk,” he stated.
According to him, security agencies have launched a full-scale investigation and search-and-rescue operations to secure the safe return of the pupils, while the government remains in close communication with relevant security formations.
The government urged school proprietors and community leaders to comply strictly with issued security advisories and called on the public to support security agencies with useful information. It reiterated that the safety of residents, especially schoolchildren, remains its top priority.
