The number of pupils and teachers abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwarra Local Government Area of Niger State, has risen to 315, following a comprehensive verification exercise conducted by the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora.
Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, who also serves as the Niger State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), confirmed the updated figure on Tuesday night. According to him, 303 students—male and female—and 12 teachers were taken when heavily armed attackers invaded the school.
The new figures emerged after parents of some missing children raised concerns, prompting Church officials to cross-check escape lists and conduct further enquiries.
“After leaving the school at Papiri, we made calls, carried out verification and discovered that 88 more students who were initially believed to have escaped were actually abducted while attempting to flee,” Bishop Yohanna said.
He added that some parents had returned to ask about children previously recorded as safe, leading to a full census that revealed the larger number of victims.
Bishop Accuses Government of Spreading ‘Propaganda’
The Bishop faulted claims by government officials that the school ignored a prior warning to shut its boarding facilities due to security threats. He described the allegation as “propaganda” aimed at shifting responsibility.
“We did not receive any circular. None was sent to us—verbally or in writing. It must be an afterthought and an attempt to shift blame,” he said.
Yohanna noted that in 2022, the school immediately shut down when rumours of an impending attack surfaced, adding that the Diocese has never defied security directives.
Investigations by the Diocese also showed that the Education Secretary and the National Association of Private Schools did not receive any such circular from the government, contradicting official claims.
The Bishop dismissed suggestions that the school had been shut down recently and then reopened, insisting: “We are law-abiding. Those allegations are false.”
Church Assures Parents, Vows Full Cooperation With Security Agencies
Bishop Yohanna said he visited Papiri on Tuesday, meeting with parents and community leaders to assure them that efforts were underway to secure the release of all abductees.
He said the Catholic Diocese, community leaders, security agencies, and relevant authorities were working closely to ensure the safe return of the victims.
“We are doing everything possible, in collaboration with security operatives and government, to ensure our children are rescued and brought back safely,” he reaffirmed.
The mass abduction is one of the largest in Niger State in recent years and has deepened concerns over renewed attacks on schools in the North-Central region.