The number of abducted students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, has risen dramatically to 315, following a verification exercise conducted by officials of the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora and the Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Friday, marks one of the largest school abductions in recent years and adds to a deeply worrying pattern of mass kidnappings targeting educational institutions across northern Nigeria.
Attackers Arrived on Over 60 Motorcycles
According to local sources, the terrorists stormed the private Catholic boarding school around 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., arriving in overwhelming numbers. They rode on over 60 motorcycles, many carrying two or three armed men, and were accompanied by a van used to transport abductees.
Residents said the attackers surrounded the compound with military-style coordination before forcing their way into the premises. During the assault, the school’s gatekeeper was shot and severely injured, leaving the school vulnerable as the gunmen gained full access to students’ dormitories and staff quarters.
“In the middle of the night, our community was shaken by a deeply tragic event,” a resident reported. “Bandits invaded St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School. Students and teachers were taken away forcefully. It was terror, pure terror.”
Initial Figures Found to Be Higher After Verification
Initial reports estimated the number of kidnapped persons at 227, but further investigation revealed that several students previously thought to have escaped were still unaccounted for.
Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State and Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, clarified the updated figure during a briefing on Saturday.
“After we left the school at Papiri, we made several calls and conducted a thorough verification exercise,” he explained. “It was then we discovered that 88 more students who were earlier believed to have escaped were in fact abducted after attempting to flee.”
According to Yohanna, frantic parents who came seeking their children triggered renewed checks that led to the discovery of the additional missing students.
This brought the total number of abducted persons to 315, consisting of:
- 303 students (both primary and secondary, male and female)
- 12 teachers (four female, eight male)
Before the attack, the school had 629 students—430 in the primary section and 199 in the secondary section.
School Authorities Deny Claims of Prior Government Warning
In the aftermath of the attack, there were widespread claims on social media and in some news outlets alleging that government agencies had issued warnings advising the school to close due to intelligence reports about a possible attack.
Bishop Yohanna firmly dismissed these reports as false.
“We did not receive any circular. It must be an afterthought and a way to shift blame,” he said. “In 2022, when we heard rumours of a possible security challenge, we shut down the school immediately. Why would we ignore such a warning now?”
He emphasized that neither the Education Secretary nor the National Association of Private Schools received any such circular. “Let those making the claims show evidence or withdraw their statements,” he insisted.
He also clarified that the school is fully owned by the Catholic Diocese and not by any private individual, contrary to earlier reports. He added that rumours claiming some Reverend Sisters travelled to Abuja before the attack were also fabricated.
A Community in Deep Distress
The mass abduction has plunged the quiet Papiri community and the broader Agwara local government area into deep anxiety and grief. Parents and guardians thronged the school grounds after the attack, desperately searching for their children.
“This is an extremely distressing moment for families, for our communities, and for Niger State as a whole,” a community leader said. “These are innocent young students and dedicated educators. Their lives and futures are now at risk. Their safety must be everyone’s priority.”
Security operatives have since launched a search-and-rescue mission, although details of their progress remain sketchy due to the remote location of the community, which is close to the Nigeria–Benin Republic border—an area long identified as a haven for criminal gangs.
CAN Calls for Calm and Prayers
Bishop Yohanna urged all affected families and Nigerians to remain calm and prayerful while security agencies work towards rescuing the abductees.
“I want to assure everyone that we are collaborating actively with security operatives, community leaders, and government officials to secure the safe and quick return of all abductees,” he said. “May the Lord grant quick release to those abducted and continue to protect His people.”
Federal Government Orders Closure of 41 Unity Schools
Meanwhile, following escalating insecurity across several states, the Federal Government has ordered the immediate closure of 41 Federal Unity Colleges.
The directive, issued through a circular dated November 21, 2025, was approved by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa. It cited “recent security challenges” and the urgent need to protect students and staff from imminent threats.
The affected schools cut across the North-West, North-East, North-Central, and parts of the South, regions that have witnessed repeated terror attacks, mass kidnappings, and school invasions in the past month.
School principals have been instructed to evacuate students and ensure strict compliance with the closure order.
A Growing Trend of School Targeting
The Niger abduction adds to a disturbing resurgence of school kidnappings reminiscent of earlier waves of terror attacks in the country’s north from 2014 to 2022. Analysts warn that the renewed trend signals evolving security vulnerabilities and an urgent need for comprehensive reforms.
With the toll now standing at 315, this latest incident is among the largest mass abductions in recent years and underscores the fragile state of school security in remote communities.
As the nation awaits updates on rescue efforts, parents and communities continue to pray for the safe return of every child and teacher taken from St. Mary’s Catholic Schools.
