Terrorists in the early hours of Friday morning stormed St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting an unspecified number of students and teachers, SaharaReporters has learned.

Community sources who visited the school after the attack confirmed that it was a coordinated operation, which lasted between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, Head of Disaster and Relief for Agwara Local Government, alongside Bello Gidi, media aide to the local government chairman, confirmed the incident.

Speaking to SaharaReporters, Gidi said, “Yes, it is true that bandits have kidnapped students and teachers at St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School in Agwara LGA, Niger State.” He added that the information reaching authorities indicates that over 100 students and teachers may have been abducted. He also noted that the school is co-educational, hosting both boys and girls.

However, the exact number of abducted persons remains unclear. Community members told reporters that the attackers carried away “more than a dozen” children, though figures circulating locally have not been independently verified. Security agencies have yet to release an official statement. When contacted, Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, said he was still working to confirm the incident.

The attack comes just five days after terrorists stormed Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School in Kebbi State, abducting approximately 25 female students and killing at least one staff member. A school guard was also injured during that attack, which occurred around 5:52 a.m. The assailants struck while students were preparing for morning routines, using sporadic gunfire to intimidate and control the school.

SaharaReporters also gathered that the gunmen abducted several female students and left a trail of fear and chaos in the community. The incident follows another deadly attack earlier reported in Rogun Village, Kpada District of Patigi Local Government Area, Kwara State, where terrorists killed two security operatives after storming a police outpost and engaging officers in a prolonged gun battle late Sunday night.