Nigeria Reels as Bandits Kidnap Students from Catholic School in Niger State - Second Abduction in a Week
Gunmen abduct students and staff from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State’s Agwara LGA, marking Nigeria’s second mass school kidnapping in days, as police and military scramble to rescue them.
Less than a week after 25 schoolgirls were abducted in Kebbi State, armed gunmen have struck again - this time targeting St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State. The assailants reportedly abducted an unspecified number of students and staff in a pre-dawn raid, setting off a major rescue operation. - turn0search0
The Attack: What Happened
Authorities say the raid occurred at approximately 2 a.m. on Friday, when the attackers invaded the school’s hostel area. In an official statement, Niger State Police confirmed that “some armed bandits” attacked the boarding school and abducted a yet-to-be-confirmed number of students from the pupils’ dormitory.
Tactical police units, alongside military forces, have been deployed and are currently “combing the adjoining forests” in a bid to track down and rescue the kidnapped students.
How Many Were Taken - And Why the Numbers Are Unclear
The Niger State Government, through Secretary Alhaji Abubakar Usman, acknowledged the kidnapping but said the exact number of abductees remains unverified. Security agencies are still “assessing the situation,” he explained.
Local media, including Arise TV, suggest that 52 students may have been taken. But authorities have not publicly confirmed this number.
Government Blames Poor Decision-Making at the School
In a strongly worded statement, the Niger State Government accused the school management of defying security advisories. According to Usman, intelligence reports had warned of “heightened security threats” in the area, and the government had directed the temporary closure of boarding schools as a precaution. - turn0search9
But St. Mary’s reportedly reopened and resumed academic activities without notifying or obtaining clearance from the state government, a decision that officials say exposed students and staff to “avoidable risk.”
Church Widely Condemns the Attack
The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora has condemned the abduction, describing it as a brutal violation of children and educators. A memo from Reverend Father Jatau Joseph Luka said a security guard was “badly shot” during the raid, while several staff and pupils were taken.
The Diocese pledged to work closely with security agencies, traditional leaders, and community members to secure the safe return of all abducted individuals, urging the public to remain calm and support ongoing rescue efforts.
The Bigger Picture: A Growing Crisis
This second school abduction in under a week has intensified national alarm. On Monday, gunmen raided a girls’ secondary school in Kebbi State, kidnapping 25 students and killing the vice principal. - turn0news16
Security experts say that while some attacks are ideologically motivated, many kidnappings like these are carried out by bandit groups or criminal networks demanding ransom. Schools, particularly boarding institutions in rural areas, are seen as soft targets due to their remote locations and poor security.
Over the years, Nigeria has witnessed dozens of mass abductions from educational institutions, including the 2021 Kagara kidnapping in Niger State and the Jangebe abduction in Zamfara State.
Security members of School Protection Squad
Rescue Operations Underway - With High Risk
Niger State’s police spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed that tactical police units and military personnel are currently on the ground, coordinating search-and-rescue operations. They are combing forested areas to track the abductors and recover the students safely.
Authorities say they are also investigating the school management’s role in resuming classes, despite government directives. The police have promised to take “necessary action” if negligence is found.
Rising Fears and Calls for Urgent Reform
The twin kidnappings in Kebbi and Niger states have reignited debate about the government’s strategy to protect schools and children. Parents are terrified, students are in shock, and the broader public is demanding immediate and decisive action.
Key concerns include the effectiveness of intelligence systems to warn schools ahead of attacks, whether security advisories issued by state governments are being taken seriously or enforced at the grassroots level, the resilience of security architecture in remote and rural communities, and the role of school management in balancing education continuity and risk.
Going forward, it is important that Security agencies must intensify search operations and rescue missions, working with local communities, vigilante groups, and intelligence services, while government accountability is crucial. Niger State must explain how warnings were issued, why the school reopened, and how future attacks will be prevented.
Also, school owners and principals need to engage proactively with government advisories, even if it means temporarily suspending operations in high-risk areas, while civil society and religious groups, including the Catholic Church, must support families and advocate for long-term reforms in school security infrastructure.
Sources:
Nigeria reels after second mass school abduction in a week - theguardian.com, Gunmen kidnap Catholic school students in Nigeria's latest attack - reuters.com, Why schoolchildren are often abducted in Nigeria and who the usual kidnappers are - apnews.com