Federal Government has reportedly secured the release of 100 schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
100 Abducted Niger Schoolchildren
Gunmen, arriving on motorbikes around 2:00 a.m., stormed the school dormitories in a three-hour raid, abducting 315 persons—comprising 303 students and 12 teachers.
Security forces, supported by community hunters, were immediately deployed to comb nearby forests in search of the abductees. Within the first day, 50 pupils managed to escape and were reunited with their families.
Authorities confirmed that 265 individuals—including 253 children and all 12 teachers—remained in captivity following the attack.
In response, the Federal Government imposed a 24-hour security cordon and launched aerial surveillance across parts of Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States. President Bola Tinubu cancelled planned international travel to personally address the crisis.
The government also ordered the indefinite closure of all schools in Niger State and several federal institutions in high-risk regions as part of precautionary measures.
Efforts to secure the release of the remaining abductees are ongoing, with security agencies intensifying operations in the affected areas
