The Niger State Government has officially confirmed the abduction of students and staff from St. Mary’s School in Agwara Local Government Area, but the confirmation comes with a rebuke to the school’s management.
Authorities revealed on Friday that the Catholic institution had reopened in defiance of a direct government directive to remain closed due to security threats.
The attack, which took place between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. on Friday, saw bandits storm the school premises in Papiri, whisking away an unspecified number of victims into the night. While the Head of Department for Disaster and Relief in the local government, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, initially confirmed the raid via telephone, the state government has now provided further context regarding the security lapse.
According to the state, intelligence reports had earlier indicated a heightened risk of attacks in the northern senatorial district. In response, the government issued a precautionary order suspending all construction activities and mandating the temporary closure of all boarding schools in the affected zone.
The government claims that while other institutions complied, St. Mary’s School bypassed the order.
Abubakar Usman, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), expressed deep sorrow and frustration over the incident in a statement released today, Friday;
The Niger state government has received with deep sadness the disturbing news of the kidnapping of pupils from St. Mary’s School. The exact number of abducted pupils is yet to be confirmed as security agencies continue to assess the situation
Usman went on to detail the alleged breach of protocol that left the students vulnerable;
In response to these credible security alerts, the State Government had earlier issued a clear directive… ordering the temporary closure of all boarding schools within the affected zone as a precautionary measure. St. Mary’s School, however, proceeded to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the state…Security agencies have since commenced a full-scale investigation and search-and-rescue operations to ensure the safe return of the pupils
As security forces comb the area in a bid to rescue the victims, the government has reiterated its warning to school proprietors to strictly adhere to safety advisories. Just days ago, neighboring Kwara State was forced to shut down over 50 schools following similar threats, in order to keep students safe.
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