While the dust has not settled in the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, where over 300 pupils and staff who were abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Schools, Papiri, in Niger State, were recently reunited with their families, terrorists have again set a church ablaze and attacked a convent and clinic run by religious sisters, leaving 1 person dead and 7 others abducted.
Communities of Agwara and Mashegu Local Government Areas of Niger State, Northwest Nigeria, were thrown into fear and confusion in the early hours of Sunday, 1 February 2026, following a coordinated attack by suspected terrorists who stormed the catholic facility.
A statement signed by the Director of Social Communications for the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, Rev. Fr. Matthew Stephen Kabirat, dated Monday, 2 February, noted that the attacks have left so much fear and anxiety among the peace-loving communities.
He narrated that “What was once a peaceful community in Tugan Gero, Mashegu Local Government Area, was turned into a scene of terror at about 2:00a.m. on the same day as suspected bandits launched a coordinated attack, with a Catholic convent as the primary target.”
The cleric indicated that attackers opened fire as they advanced toward the Convent attached to the Tugan Gero Clinic, both owned by the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora.
Fr. Kabirat explained that when the Religious Sisters heard sustained gunfire and realising the imminent danger, “fled the convent and hid in nearby bushes.”
The priest further disclosed that the assailants redirected their attack to the diocese-owned clinic, headed by Sr. Regina Acho, DC, where they ransacked and vandalised property, leaving medical equipment scattered and facilities severely damaged.
Fr. Kabirat recalled that in Agwara Local Government Area, the attackers began their assault in the main town by setting ablaze a police station, leaving the security facility badly damaged and subsequently moving to the residence of one Mr. Ahmed Burade, where they abducted his wife, his sister-in-law, and three of his children.
The Director maintained that eyewitnesses reported that Mr. Burade narrowly escaped the abduction when police operatives attempted to repel the attackers, adding that “despite his escape, the bandits fled with the other victims.”
The attackers also targeted the UMCA Church in Agwara, where the building was set on fire, further deepening the shock and devastation within the community.
He said following the attacks, many residents fled their homes and sought refuge in nearby bushes and surrounding areas for fear of further violence.
The situation remains tense, with widespread anxiety and uncertainty across the community.
Residents have called on security agencies and relevant authorities to urgently intervene, restore calm and ensure the safe rescue of those abducted.
He disclosed that during the attack, travellers moving along the main road drew the attention of the assailants away from the nurses’ hostel and toward the vehicles and in the process, one passenger was killed while others were forcibly abducted.
The Director stressed that among those kidnapped was Mr. Ishaya Bawa, the clinic’s gateman, whose abduction has intensified fear and anxiety among residents and healthcare workers in the community.
“The violence further escalated as the attackers moved to the UMCA Church in Tugan Gero, where additional persons were abducted. Eyewitnesses reported that the bandits operated freely for several hours before retreating, leaving behind fear, destruction, and deep sorrow. “These attacks have raised renewed concerns about the safety of religious communities, healthcare facilities, and rural settlements, particularly as a Catholic convent, home to Religious Sisters dedicated to healthcare and humanitarian service, was deliberately targeted,” Fr. Kabirat noted.
