iDeemlawfulAn eyewitness has narrated how several students of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State managed to flee after armed bandits abducted them in the early hours of Monday.
The gunmen, who arrived on motorcycles around 2 a.m., began shooting upon entering the school compound, causing panic among students and staff as they took away an unspecified number of pupils.
A resident who requested anonymity said the attackers operated for hours before daybreak. They reportedly seized a vehicle and used it with their motorcycles to move the abducted students out of the area.
However, the operation stalled when the stolen vehicle malfunctioned not far from the school.
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“They abandoned the car after it failed. While they were trying to find another vehicle, some of the students managed to escape,” the witness said, noting that others also fled through the school’s fence. The exact figure of those taken remains uncertain.
Government Reacts
Secretary to the Niger State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, confirmed the incident, explaining that authorities were still verifying how many pupils were missing. He noted that the government had earlier issued security alerts and ordered boarding schools in vulnerable areas to shut down temporarily.
“Regrettably, St. Mary’s School reopened without informing the government, exposing pupils and staff to avoidable danger,” he said.
Usman added that security operatives had begun a search-and-rescue mission and would release updates as more information becomes available.
The state Commissioner of Police, Adamu Abdullahi Ellema, also confirmed the attack, stating that police tactical teams, military personnel, and other operatives were combing surrounding forests in pursuit of the gunmen.
Catholic Diocese Condemns Attack
The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, in a statement issued by Diocesan Secretary Father Jatau Luka, condemned the incident and affirmed that the abduction took place between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m.
The Diocese said it was working with security agencies, community leaders, and government authorities to ensure the safe return of the abducted students, urging the public to remain calm and pray for their rescue.
The attack occurred just four days after a similar abduction in Maga, Kebbi State, where 24 female students from a girls’ secondary school were taken.