THE United Nations has condemned the abduction of hundreds of pupils and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Niger State during the early hours of Friday.
UN Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, in a statement described the attack as “heartbreaking” and emphasised that “schools must be safe places for learning.”
“We have witnessed yet another abduction of pupils in Niger State, just days after the kidnapping of schoolchildren in Kebbi,” Dujarric said.
The ICIR reported that terrorists 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 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.
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 killed. A guard was also injured during the early-morning assault.
“We join UNICEF and the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mohamed Malick Fall, in expressing deep sympathy to the families and communities affected. Every effort must now focus on ensuring the childrens’ safe and immediate return,” Dujarric added.
Dujarric noted that the recurring assaults highlight the urgent need to fully enforce the Safe Schools Declaration, which sets out practical steps to protect educational institutions and ensure students’ access to learning during conflict.
The ICIR reported on Friday that the Federal Government has shut down all 41 Unity Schools in the country over the growing spate of abductions and other forms of insecurity.
The Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Binta Abdulkadir, announced this in a circular on Friday.
Similarly, the Plateau State Government has directed the immediate closure of all basic schools in the state, citing urgent need for preventive action.
A statement issued by the Plateau State Universal Basic Education Board on Friday said Government Junior Model Secondary Schools would close effective Saturday, November 22, 2025, while Primary and Day Schools would shut from Monday, November 24, as a precautionary measure.
Similarly, the Katsina Government through its Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education on Friday ordered the immediate shutdown of all public schools across the state due to rising security concerns.
The order prompted thousands of boarding students to return home shortly after the announcement.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Yusuf Jibia, said on DW Hausa that the closure was a precautionary measure, following recent attacks in neighbouring 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.