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Tag: Niger

CAN Raises Niger Abduction Toll To 315 From 227

Wale busari04 mins

The Christian Association of Nigeria has revised the number of abducted pupils and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger State, raising the figure to 315 instead of the 227 earlier reported. According to CAN chairman Bulus Yohanna, the new total emerged after a detailed verification showed that dozens of children initially believed to have escaped were also taken. Parents later arrived at the school searching for their children, prompting a census that uncovered 88 additional missing pupils. The updated breakdown shows 303 students and 12 teachers are now unaccounted for. “After we left the school at Papiri, we made calls, conducted verification, and carried out further enquiries on those we thought escaped successfully, only to discover that 88 more students were also captured after they tried to escape. Parents we assumed had their children safe came asking for them, and that was when we realised they had also been abducted. This now makes it 303 students, including 12 teachers, bringing the total number of abducted persons to 315.” The abduction occurred in the early hours of Friday, between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., when armed men on motorcycles stormed the school and carried out the mass kidnapping. Governor Mohammed Bago’s administration blamed the incident on the school’s alleged refusal to comply with a government directive ordering schools to shut down. However, Yohanna dismissed the claim, describing it as an attempt to deflect responsibility. “I was greeted with what I term propaganda that the school was given a prior warning through a circular. That is not true. We did not receive any circular; it must be an afterthought and a way to shift blame. In the past, when we heard of rumours of a security challenge, we shut down immediately. Is it now, when there is a circular from the government, that we would refuse to obey?” Yohanna added that both the education secretary and the National Association of Private Schools confirmed they never received or sent out any notice instructing schools to close. “Let them tell the world who they gave the circular to, or through what channel they sent it. Claims that the school was shut down and reopened recently are also not true. We are law-abiding.”

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227 Students And Teachers Abducted From St. Mary’s Schools In Papiri, Niger State

Wale busari01 mins

Most Rev’d Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State and Catholic Bishop of Kontogora Diocese, has confirmed that 227 students and teachers were abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri on Friday. According to Yohanna, the abducted group includes 215 students and 12 teachers. “I just returned from the village after visiting the school and speaking with parents. We are coordinating with the government and security agencies to ensure the safe return of our children,” he said. He noted that some students managed to escape during the attack, and parents have begun picking up their children as the school remains closed. The Niger State government and security agencies have not yet provided an official update on the exact number of those abducted.

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Atiku’s Media Aide Accuses Tinubu of Favoritism Towards Christians, Sparks Religious Backlash

Atiku Urges Government To Declare State Of Emergency On Insecurity Following Niger School Abduction

Wale busari01 mins

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the federal government to declare a state of emergency on insecurity following the abduction of students from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State. In a post on X, Atiku said: “Not again. This is truly heartbreaking. How many more lives must be shattered before decisive action is taken? It is not too late for the government to finally declare a state of emergency on insecurity and confront this menace with the urgency it deserves. – AA” Atiku stressed that decisive action is urgently needed to tackle the rising wave of kidnappings and violence. His statement comes after recent attacks in Kebbi, Kwara, and other states, underscoring the escalating threat to schools and communities across Nigeria.

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Niger Government Blames St. Mary’s School for Ignoring Security Directive Before Pupils’ Abduction

Wale busari03 mins

The Niger State Government on Friday condemned the abduction of pupils from St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, noting that the school had reopened without government approval despite an earlier directive suspending boarding activities in the area. Although details of the attack are still emerging, Daily Trust reports that several students were taken during the midnight raid. The Head of Department, Disaster and Relief, Agwara Local Government, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, confirmed the incident by telephone, explaining that the attackers stormed the school between 2:00 am and 3:00 am. He said the exact number of abducted pupils and staff was yet to be determined as officials continue their assessment. In a statement issued on Friday by the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, the government revealed that it had earlier received credible intelligence pointing to heightened threats in parts of the Niger North Senatorial District. According to him, the state responded by suspending all construction activities and ordering the temporary closure of boarding schools within the affected zone. “This unfortunate incident comes despite prior intelligence report obtained by the government indicating an increased threat level in parts of the Niger North Senatorial District. “In response to these credible security alerts, the State Government had earlier issued a clear directive suspending all construction activities and ordering the temporary closure of all boarding schools within the affected zone as a precautionary measure. “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. He added that the number of abducted pupils is still unconfirmed as security agencies continue their investigations.

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BREAKING: Bandits Invade Catholic School In Niger State, Abduct Students And Staff

Wale busari02 mins

An unknown number of students and staff have been abducted from St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State. Sources said the school was attacked during a night raid, with several students taken. A representative from one of the state’s Catholic churches confirmed the incident but said details were still being compiled. “Yes, it is true, but I am not in a position to give details. The church will issue an official statement later in the day,” the source said. The Niger State Police Command, through spokesperson SP Wasiu Abiodun, said further information would be provided later. Meanwhile, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, Head of Department for Disaster and Relief in Agwara Local Government, confirmed the attack, stating that the terrorists struck between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., and the exact number of abducted students and staff is still being verified. The incident follows a recent kidnapping in Maga, Kebbi State, where 25 students were taken, raising concerns over escalating insecurity in northern schools. On Thursday, more than 50 schools in Kwara State were closed due to rising bandit activity. President Bola Tinubu recently cancelled trips to South Africa and Angola to focus on coordinating the federal government’s response to the worsening security situation.

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At Least 31 Dead As Fuel Tanker Explodes While People Scoop Petrol In Niger State

Wale busari02 mins

At least 31 people have died and several others were injured after a petrol tanker carrying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) exploded while people were scooping fuel along the Bida-Agaie highway in Niger State on Tuesday. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, said the incident occurred around 2:40 pm near Essa Village via Katcha. “There was a lone tanker accident along the Bida-Agaie highway, causing the vehicle carrying PMS to fall by the roadside,” he explained. Abiodun stated that residents rushed to collect fuel from the overturned tanker when it suddenly caught fire. “Unfortunately, people living around Essa Village rushed to the scene to scoop PMS, and the tanker was suddenly engulfed in flames. Forty-eight individuals were affected, with thirty-one losing their lives, while others are receiving treatment in nearby hospitals. Three motorcycles were also destroyed,” he added. Security officers and other agencies were deployed to the scene for rescue operations. Investigations are ongoing to identify the driver and owner of the tanker involved.

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Prominent Lawyer, Isyaku Muhammed Danjuma, Abducted by Bandits in Niger

Wale busari03 mins

Heavily armed bandits carried out a bold daylight raid on Ibeto town in Magama Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting prominent lawyer Barrister Isyaku Muhammed Danjuma along with several other residents, SaharaReporters reports. The attack occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, coinciding with Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary celebrations. A family source told SaharaReporters that the gunmen entered the town in large numbers, wielding high-powered weapons. “Many of them were armed with dangerous guns, even bigger than what security operatives carry. They stormed our town early this morning, targeting prominent individuals for abduction. That’s how they took Barrister Isyaku Muhammed Danjuma. He is currently in their custody, taken into the bush. The bandits operated openly for hours without any police or army intervention,” the source said. SaharaReporters also learned that Barrister Isyaku had posted on Facebook about the invasion shortly before being kidnapped. He wrote: “Independence Day but bandits are here in Ibeto running riot.” Minutes later, the post became a reality. His associate, Mohd Gbedako Ndatsu, confirmed the abduction in a comment under the post, writing: “Please when you come across this post, pray for him because I just received devastating news that the poster has been kidnapped.” In a similar case, SaharaReporters had reported last Friday that Barrister Onyesom Peace Udoka, a newly called lawyer, was abducted alongside her sister while returning from her Call to Bar ceremony. They were later released after spending several days in captivity. That abduction took place near Lokoja, Kogi State, on Friday, September 27, 2025, just days after her Call to Bar in Abuja on Tuesday, September 23, 2025.  

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Nigeria thump Niger Republic, qualify for 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations

Fola Badmus03 mins

Cup holders Nigeria reached the final of the 2024 WAFU B U20 Championship in style on Sunday, after a come-from-behind 3-1 thumping of Niger Republic’s Junior Mena in Lome, in the process earning a ticket to next year’s Africa U20 Cup of Nations. The neighbours to the north went in front after only nine minutes of the second semi-final at the Stade Kegue, but just as they did against Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday, the seven-time African champions were unruffled. Instead, they found a better shape and dominated afterwards, scoring three marvelous goals that took them to the Final, where they clash with West African arch rivals Ghana, who had earlier seen off Cote d’Ivoire 2-1. Against the run of play, the Junior Mena came close to doubling their advantage in the 33rdminute, but Nigeria survived and shortly after, found the equalizer that their endeavour merited.  Clinton Jephta finished with aplomb from outside the box to put Flying Eagles on level terms in the 35th minute, after an eye-catching interchange of passes among Kparobo Arierhi, Abba Maigari and Nasiru Salihu. Jephta was on song again 13 minutes after the restart, putting Nigeria ahead for the first time in the match, and goalkeeper Ifeanyi Harcourt deserves praise for his excellent saves that maintained Nigeria’s advantage. The Flying Eagles netted the third in added time, through Olalekan Alonge. President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, said: “I commend the fighting spirit of the Flying Eagles in reaching the final of the WAFU B U20 Championship and in the process, winning a slot at the 2025 Africa U20 Cup of Nations. I watched their first match against Burkina Faso (which they lost 0-1) but the team has continued to improve with every match since then. “The NFF is delighted with their performance. We believe they have what it takes to go all the way and successfully defend their title against the Ghanaians in Wednesday’s Final.”

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