The Federal Government has reportedly secured the release of 100 schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
The attack occurred on 21 November 2025, when bandits stormed the remote community around 2:00 a.m. on motorbikes. Over a three-hour raid, the gunmen abducted 315 people—303 students and 12 teachers—from the school dormitories.
Security forces and local hunters were immediately deployed to search surrounding forests. Within the first day, 50 pupils managed to escape and were reunited with their families, leaving 265 people—253 children and the 12 teachers—still in captivity.
In response, the Federal Government imposed a 24-hour security cordon and launched aerial surveillance operations across parts of Niger, Kebbi, and Kwara States. President Bola Tinubu also cancelled scheduled international engagements to focus on the crisis.
Authorities subsequently ordered the indefinite closure of all schools in Niger State, as well as several federal institutions in high-risk areas.