Security forces in Nigeria have launched a major search and rescue operation after armed assailants raided St. Mary’s Private Catholic Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, kidnapping an unspecified number of students from their dormitory in the early hours of Friday, November 21, 2025.
According to the Niger State Police Command, the attack occurred around 2:00 a.m. when “armed bandits stormed the school hostel and whisked away students whose exact number was still unknown.” Police tactical units, military components, and other security agencies moved swiftly to the scene, launching a coordinated search across the surrounding forests. “Security forces have already arrived in the area and begun active search operations,” stated SP W. A. Abiodun, the Police Public Relations Officer.
Commissioner of Police, CP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, assured anxious residents and families that “the Command is committed to rescuing the students unhurt,” emphasizing the intensity of the rescue efforts and urging locals to cooperate with ongoing security measures. The police further revealed that investigations are ongoing, and updates will be provided as the situation develops. The statement confirmed, “Police tactical units, military components and other security agencies have moved to the scene, combing the forests with a view to rescue the abducted students.”
The mass abduction has drawn strong condemnation from the Niger State Government, which expressed “deep sadness” over the incident. In a press release signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Alh. Abubakar Usman, the government said the “exact number of abducted pupils is yet to be confirmed” as security agencies continue their assessments. Citing prior warnings, the government criticized the school’s management for reopening and resuming academic activities despite “a government directive suspending school operations in the area due to heightened security threats.” The statement stressed, “Unfortunately, St. Mary’s School chose to resume academic activities without notifying or obtaining approval from the State Government, thus placing students and staff in unnecessary danger.”
The abduction incident follows a string of recent attacks in northern Nigeria, including the kidnapping of 25 girls from a boarding school in Kebbi State earlier this week, which prompted President Bola Tinubu to suspend international engagements to focus on the nation’s security challenges. The events have also attracted international scrutiny concerning violence against Christian communities and the broader issue of mass school kidnappings.As security agencies continue their forest search, the precise count of abducted students remains unverified, though local media outlet Arise News reported that 52 students may have been taken. The Niger State Government and law enforcement authorities have vowed to intensify efforts to safely recover all victims and hold accountable those who flouted government security directives.
Police and military operations remain ongoing, with families, faith communities, and the broader public anxiously awaiting further updates and praying for the safe return of the kidnapped students.
