The number of victims abducted from St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger State, has risen to 315, following a detailed verification exercise carried out by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state.
The updated figure includes 303 students and 12 teachers, significantly higher than the earlier figure of 227. The confirmation was given by the CAN Chairman and Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, through a statement by his Media Aide, Daniel Atori.
According to the Bishop, a final census revealed that 88 additional students initially believed to have escaped were actually among those abducted.
He explained:
“After leaving the school at Papiri, we made calls, conducted verification, and later discovered that 88 more students were captured after attempting to escape.”
Parents who thought their children were safe later approached school officials for clarification, prompting a fresh headcount that exposed the higher number. Yohanna confirmed that the school has 629 students in total, with 430 in primary and 199 in secondary school.
The cleric strongly refuted claims circulating online that the government had previously sent a warning or circular asking the school to shut down before the attack. He described the allegation as “propaganda” aimed at shifting blame.
He stated:
“We received no circular. It must be an afterthought. In 2022, when we heard rumours of insecurity, we shut down immediately. Do we need a circular before we act to protect our children?”
Yohanna emphasised that the school belongs to the Catholic Diocese, not to any particular individual, and dismissed allegations that Reverend Sisters had travelled to Abuja before the incident.
He noted that both the Education Secretary and the National Association of Private Schools denied receiving any such circular and confirmed that no directive was issued verbally or in writing.
The Bishop called on the public to remain calm and prayerful, assuring that CAN is collaborating with security agencies, community heads, government officials, and other stakeholders to ensure the safe rescue and return of all abducted victims.
He insisted that those spreading false claims must either withdraw them or provide evidence, stressing the need for accuracy during such a sensitive period.
.jpg)
0 Comments
DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed on this platform as comments were freely made by each person under his or her own volition or responsibility and were neither suggested nor dictated by the owners of News PLATFORM or any of their contracted staff. So we take no liability whatsoever for such comments.
Please take note!