Bandits have kidnapped over 100 students and teachers in a coordinated overnight attack on St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Niger State. The assault on the private Catholic secondary school occurred between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m., according to multiple community sources who visited the scene.

The Niger State Government has placed blame for the mass abduction squarely on the school’s management, accusing it of violating a specific security directive that was issued weeks earlier based on intelligence warnings.

Bello Gidi, media aide to the chairman of Agwara Local Government, confirmed the incident. He stated, “Yes, it’s true that bandits have kidnapped students and teachers at St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School Papiri, Agwara LGA, Niger State.”

Gidi further revealed the scale of the attack, stating, “The information that is reaching us is that they have kidnap over 100 students and teachers. Also, the school is a mixed school boys and girls.” The Head of Disaster and Relief for Agwara Local Government, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, also confirmed the abduction.