The United Nations has strongly condemned the abduction of hundreds of pupils and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, describing the attack as a deeply distressing assault on children and education.
In a statement on Saturday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric expressed shock over the Friday incident, calling it “heartbreaking” and unacceptable. He stressed that “schools must be safe places for learning, not targets of violence.” Dujarric added that the UN stands with Nigeria in demanding the immediate and unconditional release of all the victims.
The abduction has drawn widespread concern, especially as it occurred just days after a similar kidnapping incident in Kebbi State, raising fears of a resurgence in mass school abductions in northern Nigeria.
According to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), gunmen stormed the premises of St. Mary’s schools in the early hours of Friday, seizing 215 students and 12 teachers. Witnesses reported that the attackers arrived on motorcycles and overpowered local security personnel before herding the victims into the surrounding forest.
CAN condemned the incident as an attack on the nation’s future, urging the government to intensify efforts to secure schools and to dismantle criminal networks responsible for recurrent abductions.
Local residents remain in shock, and families have been left in anguish as they await updates from authorities. Security agencies have begun search operations, though officials have yet to provide detailed information on the progress of rescue efforts.
The UN reiterated its support for Nigeria and called on international partners to strengthen assistance aimed at protecting children, reinforcing school safety, and combating insecurity in vulnerable regions.
As communities in Niger State grapple with the trauma of the attack, the nation once again confronts the urgent challenge of safeguarding its educational institutions from criminal violence.
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