The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State has confirmed that there has been no communication from the abductors of pupils and staff from St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, almost a week after the violent attack.
Bishop Bulus Yohanna, Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and CAN Chairman in Niger State, provided an update on Friday, revealing that 315 individuals — 303 students and 12 teachers — were initially taken during the raid.
“So far, we have not received any calls from the kidnappers,” Bishop Yohanna said.
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The attack occurred in the early hours of November 21, between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., when armed gunmen stormed the school in Agwara Local Government Area. A security guard was reportedly shot during the assault.
Following the incident, 50 pupils escaped and have since been reunited with their families. “After deducting them from the initial number, 265 people are still missing,” the Bishop added.
He confirmed ongoing coordination with the DSS in Kontagora, and the school has provided detailed lists of all missing persons to local police authorities.
In response, the Niger State Government has ordered the closure of all schools across the state and deployed tactical units, ground forces, and local hunters to track down the abducted students and staff.
