More than 50 children have been kidnapped from St Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School in Agwara, Niger State, Nigeria. The abduction occurred in the early hours of Friday morning, with reports indicating that 52 students were taken by armed terrorists around 2am. The Niger State Police Command confirmed the incident, stating that armed bandits invaded the school’s hostel. A statement from the police noted, "The Niger State Police Command wishes to confirm that on 21st November, 2025 at about 2.00am, report received indicated that some armed bandits invaded St. Mary’s Private (Catholic) Secondary School, Papiri Agwara LGA and abducted a yet to be ascertained number of students from the School’s hostel." In response to the attack, police tactical units, military personnel, and other security agencies have been deployed to the area. They are currently searching the surrounding forests in an effort to locate and rescue the kidnapped students. The police have also stated that they will investigate why the school was open, given a directive for closure due to ongoing security challenges in the region. The Commissioner of Police, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, reiterated the commitment to rescue the students unharmed. He urged the public to remain calm and support the security operations. Elleman added, "This incident will be investigated and necessary action will be taken against the school management for continuing academic activities, contrary to the State government directive on closure of schools in the area due to security challenges." This incident follows another recent attack, where armed bandits targeted the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, just five days prior. During that incident, 26 students were abducted, with only two managing to escape and return to their families. Halima Bande, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, described the situation as traumatic for the parents and the school community, stating, "Only two have escaped so far. This is a tragedy that has put everyone around us in trauma. We don’t know where they sleep, the food they eat, or the environment they are in." The ongoing violence against schools in Nigeria has raised significant concerns about the safety of students and the effectiveness of security measures in place.