Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago publicly acknowledged the kidnapping of 315 pupils and staff from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, on Friday during the inauguration of commissioners and local government chairmen. The terrorists invaded the school on November 21, 2025, abducting 303 students aged 10 to 18 and 12 teachers, marking one of Nigeria’s worst mass school abductions that surpassed the 276 Chibok victims in 2014. Earlier reports from the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the Northern Region and FCT, led by Rev. John Hayab, noted a parent died of a heart attack after losing three children in the incident.
Governor Bago initially denied the scale of the abduction, stating in a TVC interview that bandits only fired shots into the air to scare the children, who then fled and hid in the bush without any kidnappings occurring. Of the 315 abductees, 50 pupils escaped after two days, while federal security agencies rescued 100 nearly two weeks later, leaving 115 still in captivity as of the governor’s admission. Bago requested a minute of silence for two parents who died from shock, prayed for the remaining victims’ safe return, and pledged political appointments for Papiri indigenes to integrate the community into state governance.
“Let us put the old aside and embrace a new Niger. We want a new Niger where the son of a nobody can become somebody. It is time to retract our steps,” Bago declared, reflecting on the incident three weeks prior. He added, “Three weeks ago, we woke up with the terrifying news of the abduction of our children and teachers, thank God we have rescued 100 and we hope that the remaining are rescued and reunited with their families soon. In this government, we will engage and appoint people from Papiri into our government.”
The governor thanked divine intervention for keeping Niger State united and prayed, “Oh God we beseech you to rescue Niger state, rescue our children and restore unto us lasting peace. Those who chose the wrong path, God please redirect them.”
Secretary to the State Government Usman Abubakar urged the new appointees to prioritize security, education, and healthcare, emphasizing their capabilities and pedigree. They were sworn in by Justice Amina of Court 6, Minna, representing Chief Judge Justice Halima Abdulmalik. President Bola Tinubu welcomed the 100 rescued students and directed security agencies to intensify efforts for the remaining 115.
The abduction prompted the indefinite closure of schools across Niger State, with federal and state institutions also shutting down amid threats. Families frantically searched forests as security forces mobilized rescue teams. This incident follows patterns of school raids, including a recent kidnapping of 25 girls in neighboring Kebbi State.
