HIBAPRESS
The Nigerian Christian Association announced in an official statement that no less than 227 students and teachers were kidnapped last Friday from a Catholic school in northwest Nigeria.
The association stated that the attack targeted St. Mary's School in the village of Baberi, which is part of the local government of Agwara, where armed men stormed the educational institution and kidnapped 215 students and 12 teachers. Daniel Attaori, the spokesman for the association's branch in Niger State, said that he returned Friday evening from a field visit to the school, where he met with the families of the kidnapped and assured them that the association is working in coordination with the governmental and security authorities to expedite the rescue operation of the children and return them safely. The Niger State police confirmed that the kidnapping took place in the early hours of the morning, indicating that army and security units were deployed in the village to pursue the kidnappers. The police added that St. Mary's School is a secondary institution that includes students aged 12 to 17 years. Satellite images showed that the school complex adjoins an elementary school and includes more than 50 buildings between classrooms and dormitories and is located adjacent to a main road connecting the towns of Yello and Mokuwa. In a related context, a statement issued by the Secretary of the Niger State Government revealed that the kidnapping operation took place despite previous intelligence warnings about the increasing security risks in the region. The statement considered that the school administration "rushed to reopen its doors and resume academic activities without prior notice or obtaining official permission from the state government, exposing the students and teaching staff to a risk that could have been avoided."
