Bandits raid Catholic school in Niger State, abduct students, staff
An unspecified number of students and staff have been abducted by bandits from St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in the Papiri community of Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State.
The attack comes just five days after armed men invaded Government Girls Science Secondary School, killing the vice principal and abducting 25 students.
Local officials and church authorities are still trying to determine the full scale of the latest abduction, as the exact number of victims remains unclear.
A senior church official who confirmed the incident said records were still being compiled.
“The situation is tragic, and we are working to get an accurate account. A formal statement will be released later today,” he said.
Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, Head of Disaster and Relief in Agwara Local Government, also stated: “Our team is on the ground trying to verify the figures because the situation is still unfolding.”
A statement by the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, said tactical units, alongside military components and other security operatives, had been deployed to the area.
