Niger State Governor Umaru Bago has ordered the immediate closure of all schools in the state after students and teachers were abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area. He announced the directive during a press briefing following an expanded security meeting in Minna, describing the attack as “unfortunate and avoidable.”
The governor called on security agencies, civil society organizations, labor unions and religious leaders to unite in rescue efforts. He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to protecting lives and property, saying the school shutdown is a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students and staff. The closure applies to all private and public primary and secondary schools, religious schools, the Federal Government College Minna, and nursing schools in Bida and Kontagora. It will remain in force until further notice and will also serve as an early Christmas break due to rising security concerns.
The exact number of abducted pupils has not yet been confirmed, as security agencies are still conducting headcounts; an official figure is expected later. The state government’s priority is to rescue the abducted students and staff, and Governor Bago emphasized the need for collective effort to address the security challenges facing Niger State.
The incident has highlighted growing security concerns in the state, prompting the decision to close all schools to prevent further attacks and safeguard students and staff. As rescue operations continue, the government urges all stakeholders to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies to confront the state’s security challenges.
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