Gunmen stormed St. Mary’s Catholic School in the Papiri community of Agwara, Niger State, early Friday, abducting 215 pupils and students along with 12 teachers, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed. The incident marks one of the largest mass school kidnappings in recent years, underscoring the deepening security crisis in northern Nigeria.
CAN spokesperson Daniel Atori, who visited the school and met families of the victims, said parents were “devastated and desperate” for updates on their missing children. Police officials stated that security forces have been deployed to track the abductors.
School Reopened Despite Security Warnings
Authorities disclosed that St. Mary’s had resumed classes despite intelligence warnings about heightened threats in the area. The Niger State government criticised the school’s administration for failing to obtain clearance before reopening, a lapse officials say left hundreds of children and staff exposed during the attack.
Residents reported that no police or government security personnel were present when armed men stormed the compound. The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora confirmed that a security guard was “badly shot” during the assault. Satellite images show St. Mary’s as a sprawling institution with more than 50 buildings located near a key road connecting Yelwa and Mokwa.
Families in Agony as Children Remain Missing
The abductions have plunged families into anguish. Sixty-two-year-old Dauda Chekula said four of his grandchildren, aged 7 to 10, were among those taken. “The children who escaped have scattered,” he said. “All we know is that the attackers are still moving with the others into the bush.”
Parents say they have received no credible information about the whereabouts of their children, fueling anger and fear across the community.
Northern Nigeria Sees Surge in Mass Kidnappings
The Niger State attack follows a string of abductions across northern Nigeria. Earlier this week, gunmen raided a high school in neighbouring Kebbi State, abducting 25 schoolgirls, one of whom later escaped. In Kwara State, attackers killed two worshippers, kidnapped 38, and demanded ransoms of 100 million naira (USD 69,000) per victim.
Since Boko Haram’s 2014 abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, more than 1,500 students have been kidnapped across the region. Many of these attacks are carried out by heavily armed criminal groups seeking ransom payments.
Government Response and Growing Public Anger
President Bola Tinubu cancelled his planned trip to the G20 summit in South Africa in response to the crisis. Vice President Kashim Shettima vowed that the government would employ “every instrument of the state” to secure the safe return of the abducted children. Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Education has ordered the closure of 47 unity colleges located in high-risk areas.
Despite these assurances, frustration is mounting. Analysts and civil society groups blame corruption, weak governance, and systemic impunity for Nigeria’s persistent insecurity. Families of victims say they no longer trust authorities to protect their children, while local leaders warn that the rising wave of school abductions threatens the future of an entire generation.
.png)
The opinions posted here do not belong to 🔰www.indiansdaily.com. The author is solely responsible for the opinions.
As per the IT policy of the Central Government, insults against an individual, community, religion or country, defamatory and inflammatory remarks, obscene and vulgar language are punishable offenses. Legal action will be taken for such expressions of opinion.