Police and military operatives have been deployed to St. Mary’s Private Catholic Secondary School in Niger State to rescue abducted students.
The school, located in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, was invaded in the early hours of Friday by suspected bandits, who reportedly carried away an unconfirmed number of staff and students, most of them girls, to an unknown destination.
A source at the school confirmed to PUNCH Online that the incident occurred, but the school authorities had yet to ascertain the exact number of abducted individuals.
“The incident actually happened this morning while the students were sleeping. They kidnapped many students, and some who tried to run into the bush were captured. The Catholic Church will soon issue a statement,” the source said.
The bandits were said to have stormed the school around 2 am, opening fire while the boarding students slept. The gunshots reportedly woke the students, and some who attempted to flee into nearby bushes fell into the waiting hands of the attackers.
The Niger State Police Command spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the attack in a statement released on Friday, stating that a combined team of police and military operatives had been deployed to Papiri to rescue the abducted students.
He also noted that measures would be taken against the school management for continuing operations despite a directive from the state government ordering the closure of schools due to security threats.
“The Niger State Police Command wishes to confirm that on 21st November 2025, at about 2:00 am, reports indicated that armed bandits invaded St. Mary’s Private (Catholic) Secondary School, Papiri, Agwara LGA, and abducted an as-yet-uncounted number of students from the school’s hostel.
“However, police tactical units, military components, and other security agencies have moved to the scene, combing the forests with a view to rescuing the abducted students.
“In view of this, the Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, reiterated the command’s commitment to rescuing the students unharmed and appealed to members of the public to remain calm and support security operations.
“He further assured that the incident will be investigated, and necessary action will be taken against the school management for continuing academic activities contrary to the state government directive on school closures due to security challenges,” Abiodun stated.
The attack comes on the heels of a similar incident in Kwara State, where over 25 students were abducted, the vice principal of the school was killed, and the principal sustained gunshot injuries.
In February 2021, PUNCH Online reported that no fewer than 42 people, including 27 students, were kidnapped when bandits attacked Government Science Secondary School, Kagara, in Niger State.
The Niger Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Muhammad Idris, who made this known, also said the whereabouts of three teachers are unknown.
According to him, 12 family members of the teachers were also abducted during the attack.