By John Umeh
The Niger State Government has ordered an immediate shutdown of all schools across the state in response to the recent abduction of more than 300 students from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area.
Governor Mohammed Bago announced the decision on Friday in Minna after an emergency security and stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House. He said the measure was necessary to prevent further attacks and to allow security agencies concentrate fully on ongoing rescue efforts.
According to the governor, the directive affects all categories of educational institutions — public and private schools, missionary and Islamic schools, Federal Government Colleges, and even some tertiary institutions, including schools of nursing and midwifery.
“Ordinarily, schools were scheduled to close for the Christmas break in the next two weeks, but given the disturbing situation, we cannot afford to take any risks,” Governor Bago said. “All schools in Niger State will remain closed until after the New Year, while those located in areas severely affected by insecurity will stay shut until further notice.”
Speaking on the abduction in Papiri, the governor described the attack as an avoidable tragedy but emphasized that the focus now is on securing the safe return of the abducted students and staff.
He also cautioned against circulating unverified figures of those kidnapped, noting that security agencies were still conducting a proper headcount.
“There are many numbers being quoted in the media, but none of them are official,” he said. “The DSS, police, and other security operatives are compiling accurate data, and we expect a confirmed figure before the end of today.”
The mass abduction, which occurred less than 24 hours before the announcement, has raised fresh concerns over school safety in the state and across northern Nigeria.
