Mohammed Bago, the governor of Niger State, has acknowledged that 315 students were kidnapped from a Catholic school in Niger State. During the inauguration of commissioners, elected local government chairmen, and their deputies on Friday, the governor announced this and asked for a minute of silence in honour of the two parents of the kidnapped children who are said to have passed away from shock.
In November, Rev. John Hayab, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the Northern Region and the Federal Capital Territory, disclosed that a father passed away from a heart attack after his three children were kidnapped from St. Mary's Catholic School in Niger State.
Bago had previously stated that students at St. Mary's Catholic School had not been abducted.
In an interview with TVC, he claimed that the bandits had simply visited the school and had not kidnapped anyone. He claims that the kids ran away and hid in the bush, while the bandits just sometimes fired into the air to frighten them before leaving.
On November 21, 2025, terrorists broke into St. Mary's Private Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, in the Agwara Local Government Area, kidnapping 315 kids and a teacher and transporting them to an unidentified location in the jungle.
After two days, fifty of the students managed to flee from the terrorists, and after almost two weeks, 100 were saved by the federal government and security services.
In addition to praying for the safe return of the remaining 115 kidnappees, the governor promised to offer Papiri indigenous people political posts so that the people living in the villages would be included in the state's political system.
"Let's welcome a new Niger and set aside the old." We envision a new Niger where a nobody's kid may rise to prominence. We need to take a step back.
"Thank God, we have recovered 100 of our children and instructors since we woke up three weeks ago to the horrifying news of their kidnapping. We pray that the other children will soon be liberated and reunited with their families.
Bago declared, "We will engage and appoint people from Papiri into our government." After the tragedy, the governor praised God that Niger State remained together.
"Oh God, please save Niger State, save our children, and bring us enduring peace." "God, please reroute those who made the wrong decision," he prayed.
In his remarks, Usman Abubakar, the Secretary to the State Government, stated that the appointment and election of chairmen were according to their qualifications and background.
He encouraged them to move swiftly and fulfill the people's mandate, particularly with regard to bolstering security and enhancing the fields of healthcare and education.
Justice Halima Abdulmalik, the Chief Judge of Niger State, swore them in. Justice Amina of Court 6, Minna, represented them.
While applauding the return of the 100 kids, President Bola Tinubu promptly stepped up efforts to obtain the release of the other 115 students and their instructors, ordering security forces to step up operations and guarantee the safe return of all victims.