iDeemlawfulNo fewer than 215 pupils and 12 teachers were kidnapped from St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, when terrorists invaded the school on Friday.
Recall that terrorists launched a deadly attack on the school on Friday, making away with a large number of students and staff members.
A source from the Catholic Diocese who craved anonymity told DAILY POST that over 300 students were missing after the terrorist attack. The source added that some of the students escaped from their captors and made their way back to the school.
“They invaded the school as early as 2 a.m. Friday morning. The kidnappers were just shooting into the air while they were operating.
“Some of the students escaped, some even jumped over the school fence while they were still attacking. As early as 6 a.m., some of the students who took cover in the bush started coming back. It was a terrible incident,” he said.
Speaking to reporters on Friday evening, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, said that 215 pupils and 12 teachers are currently in the kidnappers’ den.
“I have just got back to the village this night after I visited the school where I also met with parents of the children to assure them that we are working with the government and security agencies to see that our children are rescued and brought back safely,” Yohanna said.
The latest series of abductions has sent fears into the hearts of many Nigerians. The situation has led to the closure of public and private schools in some parts of the country.
On Friday evening, the Federal Ministry of Education announced the closure of a total of 41 Unity Colleges in the country.
In the same vein, the governments of Plateau and Katsina have also ordered the immediate closure of all schools within the states.
The federal government recently said fresh attacks by terrorists and bandits in Nigeria were triggered by recent pronouncements made by United States President Donald Trump, a claim that has not been established or verified.
