The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora has announced that 88 additional students have been confirmed missing following Friday’s attack on St. Mary Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
In an update released on Saturday, November 22, the Bishop of the Diocese, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, said the total number of missing students has now risen from the earlier reported 215 to 303.
According to the Bishop, four female teachers and eight male teachers were also abducted during the incident.
School Population Details
Yohanna disclosed that the school has:
430 pupils in the primary section
199 students in the secondary section
He noted that the updated figures were compiled after a more thorough headcount and verification.
Bishop Debunks Claim of Prior Warning
The Bishop strongly refuted claims by the Niger State Government that the school had ignored a prior directive to shut down boarding facilities in the area due to security threats.
He said neither the Diocese nor the Education Secretary received any official circular, verbal communication, or instruction concerning a closure order.
“We have asked the Education Secretary if he received a circular; he said no.
If he was asked to send any to us, he also said no.
If he was verbally informed, he said no.
Let them tell the world who they gave the circular to, or through what channel they sent it,”
the Bishop stated through his aide, Daniel Atori.
He further noted that the National Association of Private Schools also confirmed that they received no such directive.
Niger State Government Blames School for Abduction
The Niger State Government earlier accused the school of disregarding a closure order.
In a statement, the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, claimed that authorities had issued instructions to shut all boarding schools in the area following intelligence warnings, but the Catholic school “defied the warning and reopened.”
The Diocese maintains that this allegation is false, stressing that St. Mary’s is “law-abiding” and never received any such notification.
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