Four days after the Monday abduction of dozens of students from a secondary school in Maga, Kebbi State, gunmen on Friday stormed the premises of another school, St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Papiri community of Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, and abducted over 215 students and 12 staff members.
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The Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) placed the number of abductees at 227. The Chairman, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, said the figure comprised 215 students and 12 teachers.
“I just returned from the community this night after my visit to the school. I met with some parents of the children and assured them that efforts are being made, in collaboration with the government and security agencies, to ensure that the children are rescued and brought back safely.
“From our records, 215 pupils and students and 12 teachers were abducted by the terrorists. During the attack, some students escaped, and parents have started coming to pick up their children because the school has to be shut down,” he said.
Weekend Trust could not independently verify the figures, as neither the police nor the state government provided details despite efforts by our correspondent.
The attackers reportedly invaded the school around 2am and shot the security guard before gaining access to the hostel.
A truck seized from the community was used to move the students out of the school, but the vehicle broke down and the children were forced to continue on foot into the forest.
The Niger State Government blamed the school management for the incident.
The Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, said the state had received intelligence reports of increased security threats in the area and had ordered the closure of all boarding schools, but St. Mary’s School failed to comply.
“This unfortunate incident comes despite prior intelligence reports indicating an increased threat level in parts of Niger North Senatorial District. In response, the state government suspended all construction activities and ordered the temporary closure of all boarding schools within the affected zone.
“Regrettably, St. Mary’s School resumed academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the state government, thereby exposing pupils and staff to avoidable risk,” he said.
The Niger State Police Command confirmed the attack in a statement.
The spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said joint security operatives have been deployed to rescue the students.
“The Niger State Police Command confirms that on 21 November 2025, at about 2am, armed bandits invaded St. Mary’s Private (Catholic) Secondary School, Papiri, Agwara LGA, and abducted a yet-to-be-ascertained number of students from the hostels.
“Police tactical units, military components, and other security agencies have moved to the scene and are combing the forests in an effort to rescue the abducted students.”
The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora also confirmed that teachers were among those kidnapped. The Diocesan Secretary, Fr. Jatau Luka Joseph, noted that a security operative was severely injured.
“This is to inform us that armed attackers invaded St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri in the early hours of 21 November 2025, abducting some pupils, students, teachers, and a security officer who was badly shot. The incident occurred between 1am and 3am,” he said.
These incidents, along with other recent attacks, have heightened concerns over the worsening security situation in the country. School attacks have become more frequent, disrupting academic activities and forcing many states to shut down schools.
The Federal Ministry of Education yesterday ordered the immediate closure of 41 federal unity colleges nationwide.
According to a circular signed by Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, Director of Senior Secondary Education, the ministry cited rising security challenges and the need to prevent breaches.
“Sequel to the recent security challenges in parts of the country and the need to prevent any security breaches, the Minister of Education has approved the immediate closure of the listed federal unity colleges with immediate effect,” the circular stated.
Schools affected include those in Zaria, Daura, Sokoto, Potiskum, Ikare-Akoko, and Abaji, among others.
The Kwara State Government also ordered the closure of more than 50 schools due to rampaging bandits, while the Katsina State Government announced a total shutdown of schools.
Likewise, the Plateau State Government yesterday ordered the closure of all junior secondary schools in the state.
Some schools in crisis-prone areas have stopped admitting new students, as many parents fear for the safety of their children.
According to Save the Children, between 2014 and 2022, more than 1,680 schoolchildren were kidnapped in about 70 separate incidents. Experts warn of a devastating impact on education if the trend continues.
Hajiya Aisha Haruna Kabuga, State Coordinator of the National Council of Child Rights Advocates of Nigeria (NACCRAN), said persistent and increasingly unpredictable raids have spread from conflict-prone areas into previously low-risk communities across states such as Kebbi, Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger, Katsina, and Sokoto.
She said more than 1,500 schoolchildren have been abducted since 2014, with 2025 recording continued mass kidnapping incidents, which CSOs describe as cyclical.
She noted that criminal gangs are behind most attacks, using motorcycles, conducting night raids, targeting boarding schools, and relying on ransom payments.
“Continuous attacks have led to school closures, low attendance, and rising dropout rates. Many families, especially concerned about the safety of their daughters, now keep children out of school. Teachers face threats of abduction and killings, worsening the existing shortage in rural areas. It is important to understand the emotional and social impacts on survivors and affected communities,” she added.
Beyond schools, NYSC orientation camps have also come under threat, leading to relocations. Camps in Kaduna and Plateau were moved to temporary sites.
Critics say the government has not addressed structural weaknesses that enable repeated school attacks.
A 2024 UNICEF assessment showed that only 37 percent of surveyed schools across 10 states had early-warning systems capable of detecting threats. Security forces are often deployed reactively rather than proactively.
Lawmakers have also raised concerns about inadequate police presence in schools, with many lacking basic protective infrastructure.
The psychological impact of repeated abductions continues to be severe. Many freed hostages suffer long-term trauma, and the pervasive fear has led some communities to consider shutting schools entirely.
Civil society groups, including Plan International, have urged the government to intensify security coordination and prioritise the rescue of kidnapped children.
Experts argue that ransom-driven banditry, rather than ideological terrorism, underpins most attacks and requires targeted economic and security measures.
The Safe Schools Initiative
The initiative was launched at the World Economic Forum on Africa by a coalition of Nigerian business leaders working with the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, the Global Business Coalition for Education, and World at School.
The 2015 Safe Schools Declaration is a political commitment that supports the protection of students, teachers, schools, and universities during armed conflict. It emphasises uninterrupted education and measures to deter the military use of school facilities. Nigeria ratified the declaration in 2019 during a Federal Executive Council meeting, paving the way for a national policy.
The government launched a fund to support the initiative, managed by the Ministry of Finance.
However, investigations by our correspondents show that implementation has been slow and ineffective, leaving students and school workers vulnerable.
Under the initiative, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) is mandated to provide school security.
Correspondents who assessed high-risk states such as Niger, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi, Borno, and Yobe observed that much more needs to be done.
The Safe Schools Initiative Centre’s Commander, Assistant Commandant General Emmanuel Ocheja, did not respond to inquiries about school protection. He said he was in Kebbi and would respond via WhatsApp, but had not done so as of press time.
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