Niger State Govt blames St. Mary’s School for pupils’ mass abduction

Niger State Govt blames St. Mary’s School for pupils’ mass abduction

The Niger State Government has held the management of St. Mary’s School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area, responsible for the mass abduction of pupils from the school.

In a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abubakar Usman, the government said it received news of the kidnapping “with deep sadness,” noting that the exact number of abducted pupils is still being verified as security agencies continue their assessment.

According to the government, the incident occurred despite an earlier security advisory warning of an “increased threat level” across parts of the Niger North Senatorial District.

Acting on the intelligence, the state had issued a directive temporarily shutting down all boarding schools and suspending construction activities within the affected areas as a precautionary measure.

However, the statement lamented that St. Mary’s School failed to comply with the order.

“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 staff to avoidable risk,” it said.

The government reiterated its commitment to rescuing the abducted children and urged all institutions to adhere strictly to security directives to prevent further tragedies.