Unknown gunmen, in the early hours of Friday, launched an attack on St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Agwara Local Government Area, Papiri in Niger State, abducting an unspecified number of students and staff.
The attack occurred under the cover of darkness, reportedly between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m., catching the school community in their sleep. According to sources, the gunmen stormed the school premises and whisked away their victims before security officers could intervene.
The school management are currently scrambling to conduct a headcount, to ascertain the total number of students and staff abducted.
This latest incident comes just days after bandits abducted 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi State and forced the closure of over 50 schools in Kwara State due to security threats and abductions.
Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, the Head of Department for Disaster and Relief in Agwara Local Government, confirmed this incident via a telephone report;
Terrorists stormed the school between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. The actual number of abducted students and staff has yet to be determined as authorities continue their assessments
The Niger State Police Command, through Spokesperson SP Wasiu Abiodun, has promised to provide a well detailed report once the needed facts are gathered.
Many Nigerians are still waiting to see the effects of President Bola Tinubu cancelled planned diplomatic trips to South Africa and Angola, who promised to personally intervene in the rising trend of insecurity in the country. As the sun rises over Papiri, parents and loved ones awaits to hear good news of their children’ release, hoping this nightmare ends with their safe return.
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