Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, calling the abduction of students and staff truly heartbreaking.
Atiku reacted on X on Friday, asking how many more lives must be shattered before the government takes decisive steps. He said the Federal Government should declare a state of emergency on insecurity and treat the situation with urgency.
He said, “It is not too late for the government to finally declare a state of emergency on insecurity and confront this menace with the urgency it deserves.”
The attack happened between 2 am and 3 am on Friday when armed men stormed the Catholic school and abducted an unconfirmed number of students and staff.
Sources within the Catholic Church in Niger State confirmed the attack but said officials were still checking to know the exact number of victims.
The Niger State Government said the school reopened despite a closure order issued earlier due to rising insecurity in the area. The government noted that the decision exposed students and staff to danger.
Security forces, including police and military personnel, have now been deployed to carry out rescue operations.
The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora also condemned the midnight attack. The Diocesan Secretary, Rev. Fr. Jatau Luka Joseph, said the gunmen shot a security guard before taking several people from the school.
The Diocese said it was working closely with security agencies, community leaders, and the government to ensure the safe return of all victims. It urged residents to stay calm and support the rescue mission. In the statement, the Diocese said, “May the Lord grant quick release to those abducted and continue to protect His people from all danger.”
The spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident. He said a joint team of police and military personnel had moved into Papiri to search the forests and rescue the kidnapped students.
He also said the school management would face sanctions for reopening despite the government’s directive to shut schools in the area due to security threats.
Abiodun said, “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.”
He added that the Commissioner of Police, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, had assured the public that the command would do everything possible to bring the students back unharmed.
The attack comes only days after a similar raid in Maga, Kebbi State, where 25 students were abducted from a girls boarding school.
The repeated attacks have increased concerns about worsening insecurity in schools across the northern region.
