Police and military personnel have been deployed to St. Mary’s Private Catholic Secondary School in Niger State to rescue students abducted by gunmen.
The attackers, believed to be bandits, raided the school in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, in the early hours of Friday. They reportedly took away an unspecified number of students and staff mostly female to an unknown location.
A school source confirmed the incident to PUNCH Online, explaining that the school was still trying to determine the exact number of missing persons.
“The attack happened at dawn while the students were asleep. Many students were taken, and several others who tried to escape into the bush were caught. The Catholic Church will soon release an official statement,” the source said.
The invaders were said to have arrived around 2 a.m., firing gunshots that startled the sleeping students. Those who attempted to flee into nearby bushes were intercepted by the gunmen.
Niger State Police spokesperson, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the attack in a statement on Friday. He revealed that a joint police–military rescue team had been dispatched to the area to track down the abductors and recover the missing students.
Abiodun also stated that the school management would face sanctions for reopening despite a state government directive ordering schools to shut down over rising security threats.
“The Niger State Police Command confirms that on 21st November 2025, at about 2:00 a.m., armed bandits attacked St. Mary’s Private (Catholic) Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara LGA, and kidnapped an as-yet-uncounted number of students from the hostel.
“Police tactical teams, military units, and other security agencies have mobilised to the location and are combing the surrounding forests to rescue the students,” he said.
He added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, had assured the public of the command’s commitment to rescuing the victims unharmed, urging residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies. Abiodun further noted that the incident would be fully investigated and that the school would face consequences for violating the closure order.
This latest abduction comes shortly after a similar attack in Kwara State, where more than 25 students were kidnapped, the vice principal was killed, and the principal sustained gunshot wounds.
In a previous incident in February 2021, PUNCH Online reported that at least 42 people including 27 students were abducted when bandits attacked Government Science Secondary School, Kagara, in Niger State.
According to then–Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Muhammad Idris, the whereabouts of three teachers remained unknown, and 12 of their family members were also taken.
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