Niger lawmakers condemn Agwara school abductions, demand urgent security action

The Niger State Caucus in the National Assembly has condemned the kidnapping of students and teachers of St. Mary’s Catholic School, Agwara, describing the attack as a brutal reminder of the worsening insecurity facing the state and the wider North.

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In a joint statement signed by senators and members of the House of Representatives from the state, the lawmakers expressed deep concern and profound sorrow over the raid on the school by armed terrorists.

The statement was signed by three senators, Sani Musa, Sani Bello, and Peter Jiya, as well as members of the House; Idris Garba, Shehu Rijau, Abdullahi Mamudu, Saidu Abdullahi, and Jafaru Mohammed, Yusuf Baraje, Joshua Gana, Ismaila Modibbo, Adamu Tanko, and Abubakar Buba.

They said they stand firmly with Governor Mohammed Bago, the Niger State Government, the people of Agwara LGA, and the traumatised families.

Details of the kidnap

The caucus said the community has been thrown into turmoil by the scale of the abduction.

According to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), a verification exercise conducted after the attack confirmed that 303 students and 12 teachers were taken.

CAN further reported that 88 of the abducted students were seized while attempting to flee the school compound. The abductees are aged between 10 and 18 years.

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The attack reportedly occurred between 1:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m., when most of the students were asleep in their hostels.

During the raid, a security guard was seriously shot, according to the Diocese of Kontagora. The gunmen invaded the school on motorcycles and pick-up trucks, broke into the hostels, and forcefully removed the children before escaping with them into remote terrain.

These details further illustrate the level of coordination and violence deployed by the attackers.

Lawmakers condemn attack, demand coordinated rescue

The caucus said the mass abduction is unacceptable and must spur urgent and decisive action.

“As representatives of the good people of Niger State in the Senate and House of Representatives, we strongly condemn this criminal attack,” they said, adding that they are committed to working with security agencies to ensure the immediate and safe rescue of the abducted children and teachers.

They stressed that no community in Niger State should be left at the mercy of terror groups.

The lawmakers said the Agwara kidnapping mirrors the wider security deterioration in Niger State, where communities continue to suffer from banditry, mass abductions and terror attacks.

Border communities like Agwara, they noted, remain particularly vulnerable due to difficult terrain and limited security presence.

They warned that the Agwara incident is symptomatic of a broader national security challenge requiring sustained, coordinated intervention at federal, state and local levels.

To address the crisis, the caucus called for enhanced military and security deployment across flashpoints, strengthened intelligence gathering and rapid-response mechanisms, improved inter-agency cooperation, and greater federal government intervention to reinforce the efforts of the Niger State Government.

Caucus pledges stronger push at the national level

The lawmakers pledged to intensify their engagement with the federal government and security institutions to ensure that Niger State receives urgent and consistent attention. They also committed to lobbying for increased funding, personnel and operational capacity for security agencies, as well as legislative reforms that strengthen national security.

The caucus urged residents to remain calm but vigilant and to cooperate with security forces involved in the search-and-rescue operations.

READ ALSO: Over 200 students, teachers kidnapped in attack on Niger Catholic school CAN

“We call on our constituents to remain calm, vigilant, and supportive of ongoing rescue operations. We urge security agencies to intensify their efforts to secure the safe return of the students and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“May God protect Niger State, safeguard our children, comfort the affected families, and grant lasting peace to Agwara LGA, Niger State, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” they said.