Niger School Abduction: Catholic Diocese Condemns Attack, Confirms Students and Teachers Missing.

The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora issued a condemnation of the attack on St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State. In a statement released Friday by the Diocesan Secretary, Rev. Fr. Jatau Joseph, the Diocese confirmed that armed assailants invaded the school at midnight, abducting several members of the school community and shooting a security personnel. The statement specified the timing: “The incident occurred between 1:00 am and 3:00 am, causing fear and distress within the school community,” and confirmed the abductees included pupils, students, and teachers.

Police and military operatives have been deployed for a full-scale search-and-rescue operation in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State, following a mass abduction at St. Mary’s Private Catholic Secondary School in the early hours of Friday, November 21, 2025.

Suspected bandits invaded the school around 2:00 am, opening fire while the boarding students slept. The resulting gunfire caused panic, leading to some students being captured as they attempted to flee into nearby bushes.

The Niger State Police Command confirmed the incident, with spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun announcing the deployment of a combined team of police and military operatives to comb the forests for the abductees. The Commissioner of Police, CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, pledged the command’s commitment to rescuing the students unharmed and urged the public to remain calm. The police statement confirmed that an as-yet-uncounted number of students were abducted from the school hostel.

The Catholic Diocese urged the public to maintain calm, assist security operations, and pray for the safe and quick release of the abductees. The Diocese reiterated its dedication to child protection and assured that updates would follow verified information. The incident, which mirrors a recent attack in Maga, Kebbi State, involving 25 abducted students, has heightened concerns about school safety across the region. This rising tide of insecurity led to the closure of more than 50 schools in Kwara State on Thursday and prompted President Bola Tinubu to cancel his diplomatic trips to South Africa and Angola to focus on coordinating the national security response.