Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently declare a state of emergency on insecurity in Nigeria,
This is following the abduction of students and staff at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
Atiku described the attack as “truly heartbreaking” and warned that the continued deterioration of security requires immediate and decisive government action.
The attack, which occurred between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Friday, involved armed men storming the school and abducting an unconfirmed number of students and staff.
Sources within the Catholic Church in Niger State confirmed the raid, while the Niger State Government acknowledged that the school had resumed operations despite a prior closure order, exposing students and staff to risk.
Security forces, including police and military personnel, have been deployed to carry out rescue operations.
Reacting on social media, Atiku asked, “How many more lives must be shattered before decisive action is taken? It is not too late for the government to finally declare a state of emergency on insecurity and confront this menace with the urgency it deserves.”
The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emphasized that the government must act swiftly to prevent further tragedies.
The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora condemned the attack and called for immediate intervention to secure the missing persons.
This incident comes just days after a similar abduction in Maga, Kebbi State, where 25 female students were kidnapped from a boarding school, raising fears about a growing nationwide insecurity crisis in schools across northern Nigeria.
The Federal Government has faced criticism for its perceived slow response to the spate of abductions, with Atiku urging stronger measures to protect students and communities.
Meanwhile, security forces continue to comb surrounding forests in Niger State in a bid to locate and rescue the abducted students and staff.
“The blood of Nigerians is on the hands of those who fail to act decisively against insecurity,” Atiku said.
He stressed that the state of emergency is necessary to confront the menace with the seriousness it demands.
