Armed assailants have reportedly kidnapped an unknown number of students from a Catholic school in central Nigeria, marking another alarming case of school abductions in the region this week.
The incident took place at St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Niger State, where authorities had previously closed all boarding schools temporarily amid growing security concerns. While official details are still emerging, local residents fear that nearly 100 students and staff could have been taken during an early morning attack.
This comes on the heels of a recent kidnapping in Kebbi State, where 25 schoolgirls were abducted from a boarding school on Monday, highlighting a disturbing trend of violence targeting educational institutions in the country.
Police reports indicate that the attackers, often referred to locally as “bandits,” struck St. Mary’s School around 2 a.m. on Friday (1 a.m. GMT), seizing students from their hostel. Niger State authorities said the exact number of missing pupils has not yet been confirmed as security teams continue their assessment.
Families in the area are now living in fear and uncertainty as efforts to locate the abducted students intensify.
The spate of attacks has drawn national attention, emphasizing the country’s worsening security situation. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has reportedly postponed planned foreign trips amid growing concerns over the safety of citizens.