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