Parents Demand Urgent Government Action as Abduction of Niger Students Enters Eighth Day

Parents of students and staff of St. Mary Catholic Schools in Niger State have intensified calls for government intervention, expressing frustration over what they describe as official inaction in the ongoing abduction crisis.

Over 200 parents gathered at the school premises in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, on Saturday to register their grievances and provide details of their children still in captivity, following government instructions.

The registration exercise comes as the abduction of 265 students and teachers entered its eighth day.

The incident occurred two Fridays ago when armed bandits invaded St. Mary Catholic Private Primary and Secondary Schools, abducting 303 pupils and students, alongside 12 teachers. While 50 students reportedly escaped after two days in captivity, the remaining 265 are still held by the assailants.

During the gathering, parents carried placards with messages such as “Bring Back Our Girls,” “Our Girls and Teachers Are Still in Captivity,” “We Need Security in Agwara,” and “Is Education a Crime?” Several parents criticized the state government for failing to visit or send representatives to console affected families.

Rev. Fr. Stephen Okafor, Director of Communication of the school and a diocesan official, described the registration process as crucial to ensuring that authorities had accurate records of the students and staff. “With this registration and the number of parents who have turned up, we do hope those negative speculations will end.

Some of these parents had to travel between three and four hours to get here,” he said.

The abduction has reignited concerns over school security in the region, with community leaders and parents urging swift action to secure the release of the remaining students and teachers.