Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Friday departed Abuja for Johannesburg, South Africa, to represent President Bola Tinubu at the G20 Leaders’ Summit. The President, who had been scheduled to attend, cancelled his trip to stay in Nigeria amid worsening security concerns.

According to a statement released by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications in the Office of the Vice President, Tinubu postponed his journey to receive further security briefings on the violent incidents recently recorded in Kebbi and Kwara States.

The statement noted:
“President Cyril Ramaphosa, the South African leader and current President of the G20 group, had invited his Nigerian counterpart to participate in this year’s edition. The Summit, scheduled for Saturday, November 22nd to Sunday, November 23rd, at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, brings together leaders from the world’s top 20 economies, including the European Union, the African Union, and major financial institutions.”

The development comes as fresh reports of school abductions continue to emerge across northern Nigeria.

Earlier on Friday, SaharaReporters revealed that terrorists launched an overnight attack on St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, kidnapping an unspecified number of students and teachers.

Community members who visited the school after the attack described the operation as highly coordinated, taking place between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m.

The incident was confirmed by Ahmed Abdullahi Rofia, Head of Disaster and Relief for Agwara Local Government, as well as Bello Gidi, media aide to the Agwara LGA Chairman.

Gidi told SaharaReporters:
“Yes, it’s true that bandits have kidnapped students and teachers at St. Mary’s Papiri Private Catholic Secondary School, Papiri, Agwara LGA, Niger State.”

He added that early reports suggested the attackers abducted “over 100 students and teachers,” noting that the school is co-educational with both male and female students.

However, SaharaReporters learned from local residents that the exact number of abducted persons remains uncertain, with some community members estimating that “more than a dozen” children were taken. The conflicting figures have not yet been independently verified.

Security agencies have not issued an official statement. When contacted, the Niger State Police Public Relations Officer, Wasiu Abiodun, said he was still attempting to verify the situation.

The attack occurred just five days after terrorists raided Maga Comprehensive Girls’ Secondary School in Kebbi State, abducting about 25 students and killing at least one staff member. A school guard was also injured during that assault, which took place around 5:52 a.m.

Gunmen reportedly stormed the school compound while students were preparing for morning routines, firing sporadically before whisking several girls away and leaving widespread panic behind.