Armed attack in Niger State School: 303 children and 12 teachers abducted

In Niger State, armed assailants carried out a major attack on the St. Mary’s Catholic boarding school in Papiri, abducting 303 children and 12 teachers, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) reported.

Regional authorities have ordered the temporary closure of all boarding schools, while police and military forces search nearby forests for the kidnapped victims. The Nigerian Ministry of Education also announced the closure of 47 federal schools in the country’s northern region due to security threats.

President Bola Tinubu has cancelled all overseas trips, including his planned participation in the G20 summit.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. Experts suggest that kidnappings of this scale could be linked either to bandit groups or jihadist organisations operating in northeastern and northwestern Nigeria, regions that have long suffered attacks on schools and local communities.

By Khagan Isayev