Niger State Government Confirms Mass Abduction at Catholic Boarding School
Resurgence of School Kidnappings Threatens Closing of Schools across Nigeria’s North
By Luka Binniyat and Mike Odeh James
Abuja — The Niger State Government has confirmed the kidnapping of pupils from St. Mary’s Private Secondary Boarding School, located in Papiri (Papri), Agwara Local Government Area, during an early-morning attack by armed men believed to be part of the bandit networks terrorizing Nigeria’s northwest and Middle Belt region.
In an official statement issued on Saturday, the government expressed deep sadness over the assault, noting that the attack occurred despite prior intelligence warnings indicating heightened threats across vulnerable border communities.
According to the statement, signed by the Niger State Secretary to the Government, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, the State Government had earlier suspended construction activities and ordered the temporary closure of all boarding schools in the area as a precautionary security measure. However, St. Mary’s School reopened without notifying or receiving clearance from the Ministry of Education, a move officials say exposed pupils and staff to avoidable danger.
Security sources say the attackers invaded the school at about 3–4 a.m., whisking away an unspecified number of students. The Niger State Government said all relevant security formations have now launched a full-scale investigation and search-and-rescue operation to bring the abducted children home safely. Authorities promised to release verified details of the number of victims “as soon as operational clarity is achieved.”
The statement urged school proprietors, community leaders, and stakeholders to strictly comply with security advisories, warning that any breach undermines ongoing efforts to protect lives. It appealed to the public to remain calm and cooperate with operatives by offering credible information that could assist rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, the Niger State Police Commissioner, Adamu Abdullahi Ellema said joint police and military units had been deployed into the forests surrounding Papiri, where the abductors are believed to be moving the children.
Agwara is a remote border district in north-western Niger State, situated 229 miles north-west of Abuja and 154 miles northwest of Minna, the state capital. The area is directly along the Benin Republic border, making it a vulnerable frontier zone. Its isolation, forest cover, and weak security presence has made it a major corridor for armed groups. The area has almost no security presence, and its dense forests offer natural escape routes for armed groups.
Link to Kebbi Schoolgirls’ Abduction?
The Niger school attack comes just days after heavily armed assailants abducted 25 schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu LGA of Kebbi State, an incident already confirmed by police and the state government.
Maga is about 85 miles North of Papiri and both considered as parts of Nigeria Middle Belt.
The Kebbi abduction, which drew national outrage, saw terrorists attack the girls’ dormitory before dawn, killing a staff member and escaping into the forest. Federal authorities have since deployed specialized units to pursue the kidnappers.
Security analysts say the timing, method of attack, and target selection suggest that both incidents are linked to the same ecosystem of northern banditry, particularly the loose confederation of armed groups operating across forest corridors in Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, and Kaduna.
Likely Perpetrators
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the Papiri school abduction, early indicators point to:
Northwestern terrorist-bandit factions, many of which operate for ransom-driven objectives rather than ideological motives.
Some cells are linked to notorious commanders such as Dogo Giɗe, who has a history of mass kidnappings around Niger, Kebbi, and Zamfara borders. However, whether motivated by ideology or not, the result of land mass kidnappings by bandit terrorists or by Caliphate-seeking terrorists, is denial of freedom and prosperity to Christian citizens, security experts have told TruthNigeria. Security officials also note the use of motorcycles, pre-dawn timing, and targeting of boarding schools, all hallmarks of the terrorist-bandit networks responsible for similar attacks in Kagara (Niger), Tegina (Niger), Jangebe (Zamfara), and Yauri (Kebbi).
Given the terrain and regional patterns, intelligence officers believe the abducted pupils may have been moved toward forested enclaves that straddle the Niger–Kebbi boundary.
Growing Concern Over School Attacks
The confirmed kidnapping in Niger State and the earlier Kebbi schoolgirls’ abduction have reignited debate over the safety of rural schools, despite repeated government assurances that it was commitments to enhance security.
Education rights groups warn that the resurgence of school kidnappings—after a brief lull—could trigger widespread closures across northern states, putting thousands of children out of school and worsening an already fragile education system.
Meanwhile, the Niger State Government says it will continue providing updates as rescue operations unfold.
Luka Binniyat and Mike Odeh James are conflict reporters for TruthNigeria.
