All abducted Niger pupils and staff have reunited with families — Diocese

The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora has confirmed that all children and staff abducted from St Mary’s Catholic Schools, Papiri, in Niger State have been rescued and reunited with their families.

230 pupils and staff verified as rescued

Rev. Bulus Yohanna, proprietor of the school, said a total of 230 persons, including 204 pupils, 14 students, and 12 staff, were verified to have been abducted and later rescued through the combined efforts of the Federal Government, the Niger State Government, and security agencies.

“A joint verification exercise by the state government, security agencies and school authorities later revealed that not all parents were present during the exercise,” Yohanna said.

He explained that initial confusion after the November 21 abduction led to discrepancies in headcounts.

“Some pupils fled into nearby bushes and did not immediately return for the first headcount, while some parents were absent during verification.”

Initial headcount confusion explained by Diocese

According to Yohanna, an initial headcount showed 315 persons unaccounted for.

“A second and final verification conducted by the school authorities in collaboration with the Parents-Teachers Association established that an additional 35 persons had either not been abducted or had escaped earlier,” he added.

Yohanna thanked the government, security agencies, parents, the Christian community, the media, and the public for their prayers, patience, and support. He also prayed for healing and restoration for all affected families.