An unconfirmed number of students and staff have been abducted from St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
Sources told reporters that several students were taken during a night raid on the school.
A source from one of the Catholic churches in the state confirmed the incident, saying the school was still compiling its records.
“Yes, it is true, but I am not in a position to give details. The church will issue an official statement later in the day,” he said.
Spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said he would provide details later.
However, the Head of Department, Disaster and Relief, Agwara Local Government, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, confirmed the attack via telephone.
He said the terrorists invaded the school between 2a.m. and 3 a.m., noting that the exact number of abducted students and staff was still being verified.
The attack came just days after a similar incident in Maga, Kebbi State, where 25 students were kidnapped, further heightening fears over worsening insecurity in schools across the North.
On Thursday, more than 50 schools were shut down in Kwara State due to escalating bandit activity.
LEADERSHIP recalls that President Bola Tinubu recently cancelled his scheduled trips to South Africa and Angola to coordinate the federal government’s response to rising insecurity.
Credit: Leadership