Pupils’ abduction: Niger govt faults St. Mary’s School for ignoring security alerts

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Niger State Government has condemned the abduction of pupils and teachers from St. Mary’s Private (Catholic) Senior Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, attributing the incident to the school’s disregard of earlier security directives.

In a statement signed by Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Abubakar Usman, the government described the kidnapping as “regrettable and avoidable,” highlighting prior warnings about increased threats in Niger North Senatorial District.

“This unfortunate incident comes despite prior intelligence report obtained by the government indicating an increased threat level in parts of Niger North Senatorial District,” the SSG noted.

The SSG noted that the government had instructed all boarding schools in the affected area to suspend activities and halt construction, but St. Mary’s School defied these orders by reopening without notifying or seeking clearance from the government.

“Regrettably, St. Mary’s School proceeded to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the State Government, thereby exposing pupils and the staff to avoidable risk,” Usman said.

The abduction reportedly took place between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. on Friday.

Security agencies are still assessing the number of those abducted, while search-and-rescue operations are underway.

The government reassured the public that security forces are working diligently to ensure the safe return of all victims and appealed for calm and cooperation.

“The Niger State Government is in close communication with all relevant security formations and will provide continuous updates as more information becomes available,” the statement added.

“We call on the public to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing any useful information that may aid ongoing efforts,” the statement added.