Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed deep concern over the abduction of students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara LGA of Niger State, describing the incident as another tragic reminder of Nigeria’s escalating security crisis.
Responding to a report of the attack on Friday via X, Atiku lamented the frequency of such incidents, questioning how many more lives must be disrupted before authorities act decisively.
“How many more lives must be shattered before decisive action is taken?” he wrote, urging the Federal Government to immediately declare a state of emergency on insecurity.
He added that it was “not too late for the government to finally declare a state of emergency on insecurity and confront this menace with the urgency it deserves.”
Tension enveloped Papiri community after armed men reportedly stormed the Catholic school between 2 am and 3 am on Friday, whisking away an unspecified number of students and staff.
Church sources in Niger State confirmed the attack, noting that the exact number of abductees was still being verified.
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The Niger State Government disclosed that the school had resumed academic activities despite an earlier closure directive, a decision officials say increased the vulnerability of the victims.
Security operatives from both the police and military have been deployed to the area as rescue efforts intensify.
The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora condemned the attack, urging authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure the safe return of all missing persons.
Friday’s abduction comes on the heels of another raid in Maga, Kebbi State, where 25 students were taken from a girls’ boarding school — a development that has deepened concerns over the deteriorating safety of schools across northern Nigeria.