The Niger State Government has blamed the management of St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area for the mass abduction of pupils, accusing the school of violating a security directive issued weeks earlier based on intelligence warnings.
Multiple community sources who visited the school after the attack confirmed the invasion, describing it as a coordinated operation that lasted between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, the Head of Disaster and Relief for Agwara Local Government, also confirmed the incident, alongside Bello Gidi, media aide to the chairman of Agwara Local Government.
Speaking on the incident, Gidi said, “Yes, it’s true that bandits have kidnapped students and teachers at St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School Papiri, Agwara LGA, Niger State.” He further revealed the scale of the attack, stating, “The information that is reaching us is that they have kidnap over 100 students and teachers. Also, the school is a mixed school boys and girls.”
