In another disturbing escalation of insecurity in the North, armed terrorists attacked St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting an unspecified number of students and teachers.
The attackers reportedly stormed the school in the early hours of Friday, operating between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. Community members who visited the school after the attack described it as a well-coordinated operation, leaving the community in fear and confusion.
The incident comes barely five days after the abduction of schoolchildren in Kebbi State and just hours after over 50 schools were shut down in Kwara State on Thursday due to rising bandit attacks in the region.
Confirming the latest school abduction, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, Head of Disaster and Relief for Agwara Local Government, said security agencies had been alerted. His statement was corroborated by Bello Gidi, media aide to the Chairman of Agwara Local Government.
Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday cancelled his scheduled trips to South Africa and Angola in order to coordinate the Federal Government’s response to the worsening insecurity affecting multiple states.
Security personnel have reportedly launched early investigations and search operations, though official figures on the number of abducted students and staff are yet to be released.
Lagos Panorama will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as more information emerges.
