Mother recounts terrifying night as bandits abduct 289 pupils from Niger school

A teacher at St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, has shared how she narrowly escaped death when armed bandits invaded the school around 1:00 a.m., abducting pupils, students, and staff.

Mrs. Martha Matthias, who teaches in the school’s primary section, said the attackers stormed the premises while everyone was asleep. According to her, the bandits warned her not to raise an alarm, adding that she, her husband, her infant, and the pupils under her care were left helpless.

Her account

She recalled:
“At about 1:00 am when we were all asleep at the hostel, I heard the school children crying for help. I wanted to go out to check what was going on but my husband stopped me telling me the school must have been invaded by bandits and I complied. The continuous wailing of the children showed there was serious trouble going on.”

Mrs. Matthias said the bandits gathered the children and asked them where their parents were, and some of the pupils unknowingly led them to the staff quarters. When the attackers got to her room, they forced her husband out, tied him up, and ransacked their home.

She narrated how her child began crying, prompting one of the bandits to issue a chilling threat:
“They… pointed a gun at her forehead and threatened to blow off her head.”

She said the attackers took money and valuables before leading her husband and several others away. Some were taken in vehicles, while others were forced onto motorcycles and later moved into a forest using a truck.

Residents in fear

With no trace of the abductors, Papiri and Agwara residents are becoming increasingly anxious, and some families are reportedly fleeing the community.

239 children, 26 staff still held

The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora released the list of victims: 265 individuals still missing, including 239 nursery and primary school children, 14 secondary school students, and 12 staff members. The bandits have made no contact with the school, families, or government.

A breakdown shows that seven children are in Nursery 1, 32 in Nursery 2, and dozens across Primary 1 to Primary 5. Sixteen are in the secondary section.

Previous threats and security concerns

The school had once escaped an attempted attack in 2022. The Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna—who is also CAN Chairman—said the school was closed that year due to security concerns. He dismissed claims by the state government that the school ignored warnings to shut down, calling it “propaganda and attempt to shift blame.”

The area, near the Nigeria–Benin border and surrounded by dense forest, is said to have become a hideout for bandits. The Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Muhammad Haliru Dantoro Kitoro IV, previously warned that criminals had taken over the forest.

Government reaction

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago recently urged residents to defend themselves and insisted he would not negotiate with or pay ransom to bandits. He also banned mining activities in eight LGAs as part of security measures.

Difficult terrain

Papiri is a remote, sparsely populated community with poor road access, making movement difficult. Visitors travel through Kebbi State before crossing by ferry into Papiri and Agwara—a terrain that authorities believe emboldened the attackers, who arrived on motorcycles for easier navigation.

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