The Federal Government has reportedly secured the release of 100 schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
Bandits had attacked the remote Papiri community on 21 November 2025, arriving around 2:00 a.m. on motorbikes and storming the school dormitories for more than three hours. In total, 315 people—303 students and 12 teachers were abducted.
Security forces, assisted by community hunters, launched extensive search operations across surrounding forests. Within the first 24 hours, 50 pupils managed to escape and were reunited with their families, leaving 265 individuals, 253 children and all 12 teachers still in captivity.
In response to the attack, the Federal Government imposed a 24-hour security cordon and deployed aerial surveillance across parts of Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States. President Bola Tinubu also cancelled planned international engagements to focus on the crisis. Authorities further ordered the indefinite closure of all schools in Niger State, along with several federal institutions in high-risk areas, as part of broader security precautions.
FG’s assurance
Last Monday, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, reassured parents and officials of St. Mary’s School that the abducted pupils were “doing fine and will return soon.” He delivered President Tinubu’s message of hope during a visit to the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and proprietor of the school, Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, as well as parents of the missing children at St. Michael’s Catholic Cathedral in Kontagora.
“God is with them and God is with us. Evil will never win. They are going to come back. I give you that assurance,” Ribadu said, noting that rescue efforts were progressing and security presence in the area had been strengthened.
Details later…
