The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora has strongly refuted assertions by the Niger State government that St. Mary’s Secondary School in Papiri reopened without official permission or that it had received prior security warnings before the recent attack by gunmen.
In a direct challenge, Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna stated: “No warning was ever sent to the school or to the local education authorities. If there was any warning, let them show who received it and how it was delivered.”
Bishop Yohanna visited the traumatized community in Papiri shortly after the incident to console parents and staff.
He reiterated that the school had been promptly shut down in 2022 following similar threats, only reopening when the situation appeared calm.
The Niger State government has labeled the attack “regrettable and avoidable,” insisting that ongoing security investigations will reveal the full circumstances.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed that 315 people were abducted: 303 students and 12 staff members (eight men and four women).
With a total enrollment of 629 students, an additional 88 pupils were seized while attempting to flee the school premises.
The mass kidnapping has underscored the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Niger State, particularly in the northern senatorial zone (Zone C), where residents are increasingly calling for decisive intervention from both state and federal authorities.
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