By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
Our North-Central Bureau Chief, Princess Simon, X-rayed the triggers that led to the calls on the federal government by the UNICEF, CAN, parents, others to evolve wholistic approach to end all forms of threats to lives and properties of citizenry particularly children whose destiny and future survival is at stake, and as well put a permanent end to future occurrences.
For many years, education, one of the social responsibilities of Local Government, state and federal governments have been threatened by insecurity.
According to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), an agency under the United Nations that focuses on improving the lives of children and mothers globally, especially in developing countries, Nigeria inclusive, about 10.5 million of children aged between 5-14 are not in school, only 61 percent of 6-11 years olds regularly attend primary and schools, and only 35.6 percent of children aged 36-59 month receive early childhood education in Nigeria. Recent developments in parts of Niger state, Agwarra and Borgu Local Government Areas (LGAs) to be precise calls from wholistic approach to stem imminent crisis in the state's education sector. The invasion of St. Mary's Catholic private primary and secondary schools, Papiri no doubts left lingering setback in Niger state's education sector because most of school aged children within the affected areas in particular have been out of school while memories of the incidents that have claimed hundreds of lives and properties of the generality of the populace will linger for long.
The UNICEF Charter states amongst others that all children, no matter where they live and under whatever circumstances must enjoy the rights to quality education. In northern Nigeria generally, the picture of ensuring the attainment of quality education for the children is bleaker due to a number of factors compared to other parts of the country, with net attendance rate of 53 percent hence getting the number of out-of-school children back to school therefore poses serious challenge.
The most recent attack on Friday at Damala village, Wawa axis, behind Woko-Daba minning site at about 8pm which claimed four lives and the life of an 85 year old Hajiya Amina Adamu around 8pm by the terrorists late evening barely 24 hours after the state Governor Mohammed Umar Bago visited the area has however sent jitters to the spines of residents that the criminals who were said to have rustled cattle really meant business.
One of the reasons why Boko-Haram/Armed bandits/Islamic extremists/terrorists succeed in their activities of inflicting pains and hardship on the people, according to findings is largely due to a number of factors but basically due to the porousness of the area. Niger state with twenty-five (25) LGAs, and out of the number, about twelve (12) are being ravaged by armed banditry including; Paikoro, Mashegu, Shiroro, Agwarra, Rafi, Munya, Kontagora, Borgu, Wushishi, Rijau, Nasko/Magama and Mariga. The years of attacks coming all the time from moslems who have failed to be examplary in projecting islam as acclaimed religion of peace sparing no one in particular is always targeted at Christian communities, their places of worship, markets and their homes and this have over the years created humanitarian crisis in parts of zone B (Niger-East) and zone C (Niger-North). The terrorists leave trails of blood letting as they derive joy slaughtering fellow human beings like chicken, rape women and their daughters and without mercy destroy sources of livelihood of their victims, including farm lands while in some cases impose taxes on survivors who are forced to pay tax before accessing their farms are unchallenged by security agencies. The attacks which often come with threats of further attacks by the armed bandits is made possible due to the area's geographical nature. No single military base existed in the area encompassing the entire Agwara and the vast majority of Borgu LGA which is north of Kainji National Park/Games Reserve, coupled with the fact that the Police in the area are also poorly equipped in terms of weaponry to match the highly sophisticated weapons of the terrorists. Apart from the police not having adequate personnel, operational vehicles and sufficient firearms, if the weapons were actually available as at the time of the attacks at all, there was seriously no co-ordination between the various security agencies operating in the area, particularly the military. Geographically, both Borgu and Agwarra LGAs has originally been part of Kwara state before the Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida administration merged them to Niger state on the 27th August 1991. Nearness to state capital to command immediate action against the attackers. Kainji has NAF base, but why they could not repel the terrorists currently hibernating in surrounding forests is also a big question that only the country's security apparatus can provide answers to. Our correspondent also learnt that the area's military command structure has been dormant as it has not been changed for years thereby giving credence that security agencies were operating independently hence posed serious obstacle to enacting rapid deployment of troops to deal with the armed bandits. Many of the victims who had tales of woes are calling for streamlining of the Military chain of command and as well, review co-operation or bridge lack of existing cooperation between security agencies.
Under normal security settings, St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary schools Papiri needs adequate security cover because of its location else the hope of ever re-opening the would be a milage. It is only a Mobile Police presence of approximately 40 personnel that is guarding the village and the school since the first attack and abduction of about 300 staff and students of the school took place, and more people in Papiri and nearby villages of Guffanti, Sokonbara and Bako-Mission are almost on a daily basis packing their belongings and leaving the area entirely out of fears especially since the nearby Kasuwan Daji massacre. It is therefore imperative that a permanent Military and Police presence capable of defending life and properties of citizenry be established to safeguard not only the lives of pupils, teachers/non-teaching staff, that of the villagers but capable of taking the fight direct to the enemy's camp.
School Children in Northern Nigeria: Is their future still guaranteed?
Niger state government’s recent directive that schools within areas threatened by terrorists attacks should remain closed is also a thing of concerns to stakeholders, this according to findings has given credence to speculations that, St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, being the only place whereby quality educational institution can be assessed in the entire area, is being threatened with permanent closure if the calls for security beef up in the area fail to yield desired results as there is no visible sufficient security presence in the entire area to defend the entire Papiri village itself, including the school.
As part of measures to complementing government efforts aimed at ensuring that children acquire basic education in Agwara LGA, Catholic Diocese of Kontagora established fully equipped St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary schools Papiri, with facilities for both Day and Boarding students for the benefits of people from far distant communities which are up to 100 kilometres away. The abduction of 230 children and teachers and the recent slaughter of 42 persons in Kasuwan Daji market, a community market bordering Agwara and Borgu local government areas and only 15km from Papiri is another clear indications of the absence of a credible security presence in the area as the terrorists razed down the village market in broad daylight without fear of any stand by security forces.
In reaction to the federal government's intervention, the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and Proprietor of the school, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna expressed appreciation to the media, federal and state governments and security agencies for the respective roles in ensuring that the children and teachers were rescued. Bishop Yohanna also during the interview pleaded with the government to see that Papiri schools is re-opened and on time, fortify the area with adequate combined security forces, well-equipped enough to not only keep persons with criminal intents away but protect the children from future attacks capable of disrupting their academic pursuits.
Bishop Yohanna who is also the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger state chapter, also passionately appealed to the government to keep to their words by establishing military outpost and equipping the security agencies with state of the earth equipment to secure Borgu, Agwara LGA and the entire zone.
The Clergy man further pointed out that, “St. Mary’s Catholic Private primary and secondary school, Papiri school was established for our children irrespective of religion or tribe so as to build a better future for them. Let us not allow the dreams of these children to die because of the recent ugly incident. All that the government needed to do is to please beef up security so that our children, teachers and even people in the area can feel secured and learn under safe atmosphere”.
Also, in a statement, on Tuesday 6th of January 2026, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, called for stronger and closer working ties among security agencies to protect civilian spaces, schools and other public spaces in particular to end spate of attacks in Niger state.
Malick Fall described the abduction of children and teachers of St. Mary’s Schools as grave violation of human rights, including the right to life and the protection of civilians, adding that, “The abduction of women and children undermined their rights to education”.
Niger state Commissioner for Homeland Security, Barrister Maurice Magaji who spoke on telephone interview assured that comprehensive efforts are being put in place to ensure adequate security within Agwara, Borgu environs and as well other LGAs facing similar security challenges.
Maurice Magaji who however stated that the Governor Umar Bago led administration would not want to expose the lives of its citizens to risk of rushing to open schools in troubled parts of the areas said, “Niger state government has responsibility to protect lives and properties of citizenry. Life comes before education, let us all be calm and as soon as there is calm within a short time, the schools in these areas will be opened in phases.”
Also reacting to the attacks, a Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and former State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa suggested immediate establishment of a military base and the deployment of marine Police to Agwarra LGA as only panacea to stem persistent attacks by terrorists believed to gave been migrating from Sokoto and Zamfara to available conducive space in Niger state.
Vatsa in a statement titled: "Urgent call for the establishment of Naval Base and Deployment of Marine Police in Agwara local government area of Niger State", however observed that the persistent security threats is beyond what the state government alone can handle, hence suggests that the federal government must come to the aid of the state government in tackling security challenges.
Vatsa who had also served as former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism expressed great worries that the River Niger which is supposed to be source of benefits has increasingly become one of security blind spots threatening the very foundation of the state as armed groups consistently evade land-based security operations.
The former Commissioner further pointed out that, “This vulnerability was glaringly exposed during the insecurity around Papiri community where tge attackers leveraged riverine routes to perpetrate their evil acts and retreated beyond the immediate reach of conventional security forces”.
Recall that after Federal Government delegation, led by the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu visited Kontagora, met with parents/guardians, relatives and the management of St. Mary's Catholic private primary and secondary schools, Papiri, the people have breathed sigh of relief with the safe return of their wards.
Worried by the seeming no end in sight for insecurity prompting the state government’s directive that the Papiri schools and others within areas of security concerns remain closed till further notice, the Principal of the school, Rev. Sister Felicia Gyang on her own part appealed to the federal and Niger state government including the security agencies to focus on how to secure Agwarra LGA to ensure that the children are not denied quality education and for the safety of everyone including teachers, parents and residents.
One of the victims, Mrs. Hannah Tevi who was abducted alongside her son and her husband who was visiting them at the time of the attacks, recalled the traumatic experience said it still remained fresh in their memories.
Due to fears of threats to launch further attacks, Mrs. Hannah Tevi said most of the time they abandon their houses and hide in the nearby bushes for fear of the armed bandits who move freely around day and nights, and pleaded with the federal and state governments to come to their rescue.
While expressing fears that closing down the school will lead to job loss, Mrs. Tevi said, "We will be out of jobs if this school is not re-opened and security beefed up. If there is security, we will feel secured and be able to teach our children.”
The St. Mary's Catholic private primary and secondary school Papiri is the only standard school in the area serving the education needs of about 50 communities in the area.
One of the parents, Mr. Marcus Abuka whose only child was abducted and rescued said although as parents he was devastated, all hope was not lost as they all resorted to prayers and trusting on the promises made by the federal government through the NSA.
However, pained by the recent attacks that claimed 42 lives in nearby Kasuwa Daji, Abuka who was seen in the trending short video alongside other villagers mourning the dead added his voice to that of others to call on the federal and state government to set up joint military base/security outposts to save Agwarra, Borgu and neighbouring communities from attacks.
He however lamented that, "Our rescued children are being double traumatised because they were forced together with their parents to hide in the bushes at nights for fear of being kidnapped again or even murdered. The threat we are now facing goes far beyond Papiri schools. Between Sunday December 2025 and January 2026, the date of the attack in Kasuwan Daji, these bandits roam freely around the area day and night unchallenged by any anyone and therefore pleaded with the authorities to come to their rescue as they might be the next target for attack. NNL.
