The Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has increased the number of abducted pupils, students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwarra Local Government Area, raising the earlier figure from 227 to 315.
The revised figure was released on Friday after what CAN described as a thorough verification exercise and final headcount involving parents, guardians and school authorities. The confirmation was contained in a statement signed by the Niger State CAN Chairman and Catholic Bishop of the Kontagora Diocese, Bulus Yohanna.
During the early hours of November 21, between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m., gunmen invaded the school and carried out a mass abduction of learners and staff. The attackers reportedly operated for several minutes before leaving with their victims. In the immediate aftermath of the incident, some students were believed to have escaped, but further review showed that the number initially recorded did not reflect the true scale of the abduction.
Yohanna explained that the updated figure emerged after more families made contact and after an additional round of calls and inquiries was conducted to trace children who were initially thought to be safe. He said the discovery that 88 more students had been captured came after tracking individuals who attempted to flee during the attack.
According to the association, the school has a total population of 629 learners, consisting of 430 pupils in the primary section and 199 students in the secondary section. The newly verified figure indicates that almost half of the students in both sections were taken by the armed group.
In a separate statement issued by Daniel Atori, spokesperson to Bishop Yohanna, CAN rejected claims that the school ignored warnings from government officials or security agencies. Yohanna insisted that no alerts or circulars were issued before the incident. He added that the school has a history of responding quickly to security concerns, recalling that in 2022, the school closed immediately when rumours of possible attacks spread in the area.
The bishop described circulating allegations as propaganda intended to shift responsibility away from those tasked with providing security in the region. He also addressed rumours suggesting that reverend sisters had travelled to Abuja in connection with the incident. He stated that the claims were false and challenged those spreading them to provide evidence.
Yohanna assured parents and the general public that CAN is collaborating with government bodies, security agencies and community leaders to ensure the safe return of all abducted persons. He encouraged residents to remain calm and prayerful as efforts continue.
“We are working closely with all relevant authorities. We call on everyone to remain calm and prayerful as we continue to collaborate with all stakeholders for the quick and safe return of our children and teachers,” he said.
Efforts by security forces to track the kidnappers and rescue the victims are ongoing, although official updates on the operation remain limited as authorities continue to evaluate the situation.
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