JUST IN: CAN Confirms 227 Abducted from Niger State Catholic School

The Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger state has confirmed that 227 people were seized when armed men invaded St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara LGA, early Friday morning.

The attack occurred between 2am and 3am, initially leaving officials uncertain about the scale of the abduction. By Friday evening, Daniel Atori, media aide to Bulus Yohanna of CAN in the state, said records from the school showed that 215 pupils and students, along with 12 teachers, were taken during the raid.

Atori explained that Yohanna travelled to the community to meet parents and assure them that coordinated efforts with government authorities and security agencies were underway to secure the release of those abducted. He said a number of students managed to escape during the assault, prompting families to begin collecting their children as the school shut down operations.

He appealed to residents to remain calm and prayerful while security operatives, community leaders and government representatives work toward the safe return of all missing persons.

The Niger state government earlier disclosed that the school had resumed academic activities without official clearance after an advisory directing all boarding schools in the area to temporarily close.

Friday’s abduction comes shortly after 25 female students were taken from Government Girls Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi state.