Nigeria has entered another tense phase in its battle against school kidnappings as the Federal Government and several northern states ordered the closure of selected schools following a major abduction in Niger State.
On Friday, heavily armed attackers stormed St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, whisking away 215 pupils and 12 teachers in a raid that lasted only minutes. The attack, which has shocked the country, came just four days after terrorists invaded Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, abducting 26 female students.
During the Kebbi attack, the assailants killed Vice Principal Hasan Makuku and inflicted a gunshot wound on the principal. Two of the abducted girls later found their way to safety—one returning later that same night, and another escaping shortly after she was taken.
The repeated assaults on schools have now forced the Federal Government to close 41 unity colleges as part of emergency security measures. Governors in Kwara, Plateau, Niger, Benue, and Katsina have also shut down schools considered vulnerable to attacks, citing credible intelligence of escalating threats.
The situation grew more urgent on Thursday when President Bola Tinubu directed Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to immediately relocate to Kebbi State and lead rescue operations for the abducted schoolgirls.
Security agencies across the affected states have continued to intensify operations, but anxiety continues to rise among parents, school administrators, and communities grappling with the fear of further attacks.
