About 227 schoolchildren including teachers were kidnapped by bandits from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State on Friday. 

The Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria made the disclosure in a statement. 

The statement signed by the spokesperson for the CAN chairman, Daniel Atori, said some pupils escaped by a whiskers.

The school has already summoned parents and guardians to pick up their children and wards as the management cooperates with security agencies for the release of those abducted.

“From our record, 215 pupils and students including 12 teachers were abducted by the terrorists. It is worthy to note that, during the terrorists attack, some students escaped and parents have started coming for pick up their children as the school has to be shutdown.”

The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, and Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, have ordered closure of schools in the two states to prevent further abductions. 

The federal government also shut  unity colleges pending return of normalcy. 

The incident is the third in a week amid tensions and claims that Christians were being targeted in coordinated attacks by bandits.  

Gunmen on Tuesday besieged the Christ Apostolic Church, Eruku, Kwara State during service. Two worshippers were killed and dozens were abducted.

Besides, 25 school from Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State, were abducted after attackers scaled the school fence following a gun duel with the police.

The state police spokesperson, Nafiu Kotarkoshi, made this known in a statement. 

President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria a “ Country of Particular Concern” over alleged killing of Christians and government’s inability to curb the attacks.