Police and Military Launch Rescue Operation for Abducted Niger state Students

A joint force of police and military personnel has been dispatched to St. Mary’s Private Catholic Secondary School in Niger State following the abduction of students and staff by suspected bandits.

The attack on the school, located in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, occurred in the early hours of Friday.

Assailants stormed the premises and took an unconfirmed number of individuals, mostly female students, to an unknown location.

A source within the school confirmed the incident to reporters, stating that the authorities were still working to determine the exact number of people taken.

“The incident actually happened this morning while the students were sleeping,” the source said.

“They kidnapped many students, and some who tried to run into the bush were captured. The Catholic Church will soon issue a statement.”

Reports indicate the bandits invaded the school at approximately 2 a.m., firing shots as the boarding students slept. The gunfire awakened the students, and some who attempted to escape into the surrounding bush were reportedly intercepted by the attackers.

In a statement on Friday, Niger State Police Command spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the attack and announced the deployment of a combined security team to the area to track the perpetrators and rescue the victims.

Abiodun also stated that the school’s management would face consequences for remaining open despite a state government directive to close all schools due to prevailing security threats.

“The Niger State Police Command wishes to confirm that on 21st November 2025, at about 2:00 am, reports indicated that armed bandits invaded St. Mary’s Private (Catholic) Secondary School, Papiri, Agwara LGA, and abducted an as-yet-uncounted number of students from the school’s hostel,” the statement read.

It continued: “However, police tactical units, military components, and other security agencies have moved to the scene, combing the forests with a view to rescuing the abducted students.”

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The Commissioner of Police, CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, urged the public to remain calm and support the security operation, reaffirming the command’s commitment to rescuing the students unharmed.

He also noted that an investigation would be launched and “necessary action will be taken against the school management for continuing academic activities contrary to the state government directive.”

This incident follows a recent, similar attack in neighbouring Kwara State, where over 25 students were kidnapped, the school’s vice principal was killed, and the principal was wounded by gunfire.

Niger State has previously experienced such attacks. In February 2021, bandits abducted 42 people, including 27 students, from the Government Science Secondary School in Kagara.

At the time, the state’s Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Muhammad Idris, confirmed that three teachers and 12 of their family members were also taken in that raid.