By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Niger State government has stated that St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, was reopened without obtaining government clearance despite an earlier order suspending boarding activities in the area.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday, November 21, by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Abubakar Usman.
The statement noted that the government said it had received credible intelligence warning of an increased threat in parts of the Niger North Senatorial District.
It added that to forestall any eventualities, the state had ordered the suspension of all construction work and the temporary closure of boarding schools within the affected zone.
Usman said: “This unfortunate incident comes despite prior intelligence reports obtained by the government indicating an increased threat level in parts of the Niger North Senatorial District.
“In response to these credible security alerts, the state government had earlier issued a clear directive suspending all construction activities and ordering the temporary closure of all boarding schools within the affected zone as a precautionary measure.
“Regrettably, St. Mary’s School proceeded to reopen and resume academic activities without notifying or seeking clearance from the state government, thereby exposing pupils and the staff to avoidable risk.”
The SSG added that the exact number of pupils taken is yet to be confirmed as security agencies continue to assess the situation.
He stated that security forces have launched a full-scale investigation and search-and-rescue operations to secure the safe return of the abducted children.
Usman further urged stakeholders, including school proprietors and community leaders, to strictly follow security directives for public safety reasons.
He said, “The government urges school proprietors, community leaders, and all stakeholders to adhere strictly to security advisories issued in the interest of public safety. The protection of lives, especially those of our children, remains the utmost priority of this administration.
“We call on the public to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing any useful information that may aid ongoing efforts.”
Recall that suspected bandits invaded the school in the early hours of Friday and reportedly carried away an unconfirmed number of staff and students, most of them girls, to an unknown destination.
The Head of Department, Disaster and Relief, Agwara Local Government, Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, who confirmed the attack via telephone, said the terrorists stormed the school between 2:00 am and 3:00 am.
The incident comes just days after 25 students were kidnapped from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, in the early hours of Monday, November 17, by suspected bandits.
With the scale of violent attacks in educational institutions across the Northern region, the Kwara State government shut down over 50 schools on Thursday, November 20.
