The Niger State CAN reports that 303 kids have been kidnapped from the St. Mary Private Primary and Secondary schools. In the early hours of Friday, gunmen invaded the St. Mary's Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, abducted 215 students and 12 instructors. The number of kidnapped kids was revised to 303 after a verification process and additional investigations, bringing the total number of victims—including 12 teachers—to 315.
Most Rev Bulus Yohanna, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Niger State chapter, stated this in a statement published on Saturday through his media assistant, Daniel Atori, stating that the growth was the result of a verification exercise and final census.
The Bishop stated that neither the National Association of Private Schools nor the administration of St. Mary Private Primary and Secondary Schools had received a government circular prior to the attack, directing the closure of secondary schools in the region.
According to Atori, the Bishop stated, "There are currently 303 students and 12 teachers who were kidnapped from St. Mary's Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area."
"To find out the status of people we believed had escaped, we made calls and carried out a verification exercise after leaving the school. We learned that 88 further kids had been apprehended while trying to escape.
When parents, whose kids we thought were safe, asked about them, we discovered this. As a result, we conducted a comprehensive census, which showed a larger number.
There are currently 303 male and female students, as well as 12 teachers—four female and eight male—who have been kidnapped, making the total number of victims 315. There are 629 students enrolled in the school, 430 in the elementary and 199 in the secondary, he said.
"Contrary to rumours, no circular or warning was received from the government or security agencies," the bishop said in response to allegations of earlier official warnings. This story seems to be an afterthought intended to assign blame. When security issues surfaced in 2022, the school promptly closed. Formal and informal security advice have always been followed.
The Catholic Diocese, not any one person, is the owner of the school. As claimed, no Reverend Sisters visited Abuja. Anyone making such assertions ought to back up their comments or offer evidence. Our Education Secretary attested that neither the National Association of Private Schools nor he had received any written or verbal circulars.
"We urge everyone to remain prayerful," he said in closing. To guarantee the safe return of all abductees, we shall keep up our active cooperation with security personnel, community leaders, the government, and pertinent agencies. May the Lord deliver them swiftly and keep His people safe.