A United Nations Special Envoy and Executive Director of Women Aid Collective (WACOL), Prof. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo (SAN), has condemned the abduction of pupils and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, faulting the Nigerian government’s response and warning that school closures could embolden extremist groups.
Terrorists invaded the school in the early hours of Friday, carrying out what community members described as a coordinated assault between 2am and 3am. The attackers abducted an as-yet-unconfirmed number of students and teachers, with some reports indicating that more than 100 people were taken. A security guard was also shot and severely injured.
While the Niger State government confirmed the incident, it partly blamed the school for resuming academic activities without official clearance despite earlier intelligence indicating an imminent threat. However, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) placed the figure of abducted pupils and staff far higher, claiming that 215 children and 12 teachers were taken.
Reacting on Saturday via a statement posted on her Facebook page, Prof. Ezeilo said Nigerians are “deeply hurt” not only by the recurring attacks on educational institutions but also by what she described as “inadequate and often counterproductive responses” from authorities.
“The recent tragedy at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri is truly heartbreaking—creating a wound that runs deep within our national conscience,” she wrote.
Ezeilo, a former Dean of Law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, cautioned that shutting down schools — a measure increasingly adopted across northern states — risks validating the ideology of extremist groups like Boko Haram, which opposes Western-style education.
“How can we ensure the safety of our schools and protect the future of Nigerian children? Is closing schools a viable solution, or are we inadvertently giving in to extremists?” she asked. “How long can we allow fear to dictate our actions, and what will be the cost to our nation’s future?”
Her comments come as the Federal Government reportedly shut down 41 Unity Colleges nationwide due to rising insecurity, with schools becoming prime targets for bandits and jihadist groups.
Ezeilo expressed solidarity with the victims and families affected by the latest attack and urged the government to take urgent, strategic measures to secure learning environments.
“My thoughts are with victims of these recent attacks in Northern Nigeria, and I pray that they be rescued,” she said. “May God help us get through this phase of our nationhood.”
Security operatives — including police tactical units and military personnel — have been deployed to forested areas surrounding Papiri in ongoing rescue operations. The attack adds to a grim list of school kidnappings in Niger State, including the high-profile 2021 abduction in Kagara, and underscores what UNICEF has described as the heightened vulnerability of remote boarding schools.
Since 2021, numerous schools in Niger State have been forced to close either temporarily or permanently as armed groups tighten their grip over rural communities.