In the early hours of Friday, a wave of terror swept through St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, located in the Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, as bandits stormed the institution between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. The coordinated attack resulted in the mass abduction of both students and teachers, sending shockwaves across Nigeria and drawing international condemnation. Initial reports from various community sources and local officials, including Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, Head of Disaster and Relief for Agwara Local Government, and Bello Gidi, media aide to the Agwara Local Government Chairman, confirmed the invasion and the abduction of an unspecified number of individuals, with estimates initially ranging from “more than a dozen” to “over 100 students and teachers.”

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State later provided a precise figure, confirming that a total of 215 pupils and students, along with 12 teachers, were abducted, bringing the total to 227 individuals. Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, CAN Chairman in Niger State, personally visited the school and met with parents, assuring them of ongoing efforts with government and security agencies for the safe rescue of the abductees. During the attack, some students managed to escape, and parents, visibly anxious, subsequently arrived at the now-closed school to take their remaining children home, demonstrating the widespread fear and uncertainty.

The Niger State Government responded with deep sadness but also laid blame on the school's management, accusing St. Mary’s of reopening without notifying or seeking clearance from authorities, despite prior intelligence warnings about elevated threat levels in the region. The government had previously issued directives suspending construction activities and ordering the temporary closure of all boarding schools in affected zones as a precautionary measure. In response to the abduction, tactical police teams, military units, and other security agencies have been swiftly deployed to comb nearby forests in a bid to rescue the kidnapped students unhurt. Broader measures have also been taken across the country, with the Federal Ministry of Education shutting down 41 Unity Colleges, and the governments of Plateau and Katsina states ordering immediate school closures. The Presidency, while previously addressing abductions in Kwara and Kebbi by suspending presidential trips and deploying a Minister of State for Defence, has yet to issue a specific statement regarding the Niger incident.

The international community and human rights organizations have vehemently condemned the attack. U.S. lawmaker Riley Moore expressed profound sorrow, reiterating the U.S. commitment to ending what he termed “Christian genocide” in Nigeria and calling for international action. Moore, a vocal advocate, formally requested the U.S. Secretary of State to redesignate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” citing reports of thousands of Christians killed and churches destroyed. Amnesty International also denounced the mass abduction, highlighting it as a “shocking indication of the authorities’ persistent failure to protect people from attacks by armed groups” and stating that existing security measures “are not working.” Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar called for the Federal Government to declare a State of Emergency on insecurity.

This incident is part of a disturbing surge in school kidnappings plaguing northern Nigeria. It closely follows other recent mass abductions, including the kidnapping of approximately 25 female students from Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School in Kebbi State just five days prior, where at least one staff member was killed and a school guard injured. Additionally, terrorists had launched a deadly attack in Rogun Village, Kwara State, killing two security operatives. The repeated attacks, often involving armed assailants storming school compounds and whisking away large numbers of students, underscore a deepening crisis of insecurity that continues to sow fear and chaos across the affected regions.