THe Niger State government has ordered the immediate closure of all public and private primary and secondary schools following the abduction of an abduction of pupils from St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Agwara LGA.
This was made known in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Bologi Ibrahim, shortly after an emergency security meeting held with heads of security agencies in Minna on Saturday.
“Niger State Government has ordered the closure of all public and private Primary and Secondary Schools across the State.
Bologi said that the move is aimed at preventing further attacks on educational institutions and ensuring the safety of children across the state.
The directive affects missionary and Islamic schools, as well as Federal Government Colleges, including FGC Minna.
“Tertiary Institutions are not affected except for those in the defined vulnerable areas in Niger North and East Senatorial Districts respectively,” the statement added.
The ICIR reported that gunmen stormed St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School in the Papiri community of Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State, and abducted scores of students and teachers, in the early hours of Friday, the second mass abduction within a week.
Several community members who visited the school after the incident confirmed the attack and described it as a coordinated operation carried out between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m.
The Head of Department, Disaster and Relief, Agwara Local Government, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, also confirmed the attack.
In his latest announcement, Governor Bago described the kidnapping as “sad and unfortunate,” noting that the administration’s priority is to secure the unconditional release of the children and other victims currently in captivity across the state.
Bago charged all heads of security agencies, Civil Society Organisations, the organised labour and religious leaders to focus on the rescue of the children and reiterated that the government will continue to protect the lives and property of its citizens.
He said the number of children kidnapped from the St. Mary’s Catholic School has not been ascertained as the Department of State Service, Nigeria Police and other security agencies are already carrying out headcount to ascertain the actual figure.
Friday’s abduction came five days after terrorists attacked Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School in Kebbi State, where about 25 female students were whisked away and a staff member was killed. A guard was also injured during the early-morning assault.
Similarly, the Adamawa State Government has ordered the closure of all public and private boarding schools in the state.
In a statement on Saturday, signed by the state Commissioner for Education and Human Development, Umar Pella, the government said the decision was aimed at preventing a repeat of the recent abductions of students in Niger and Kebbi states.
“Sequel to the security challenges that the country is facing at the moment, particularly with what happened to students in Niger and Kebbi states, it has been observed with great dismay that the target of the evil perpetrators is boarding secondary schools.
“Considering this ugly situation in the country, I am directed by his Excellency, the Executive Governor of Adamawa State, Hon. Ahmadu Fintiri, to deboard all boarding schools across the state, be it public or private schools.
“They should all operate as day schools for the moment. Therefore, by this letter, all principals and proprietors of public and private schools should deboard their respective boarding schools without further delay,” Pella said.
The ICIR reported on Saturday that Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, has directed all public and private secondary schools in the state to immediately deboard their students amid growing insecurity nationwide.
The government explained that the rising security threats across the country have made boarding students in both public and private secondary schools vulnerable to kidnappers, citing the recent student abductions in Kebbi and Niger states.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.