By Chimdiogo Amuh 

The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora has confirmed the rescue and reunification of all pupils and staff abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Schools, Papiri, in Niger State.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the proprietor of the school and representative of the Diocese, Rev. Bulus Yohanna, said a total of 230 persons were verified to have been abducted during the incident. The figure comprises 12 staff members, 14 students and 204 pupils.

He explained that the victims were rescued through the combined efforts of the Federal Government, the Niger State Government and security agencies, and have all been reunited with their families. According to him, there is no report of any child still missing.

Rev. Yohanna noted that immediately after the abduction on November 21, an initial headcount showed 315 persons were unaccounted for. However, by November 23, about 50 persons escaped and returned to their families, reducing the number to 265.

Further verification exercises later revealed discrepancies in the initial figures. He said a joint review by the state government, security agencies and school authorities showed that some parents were not present during the first verification, while a final exercise conducted with the Parents-Teachers Association established that an additional 35 persons had either escaped earlier or were not abducted at all.

He clarified that out of the 315 initially reported missing, 85 were confirmed to have escaped or not been abducted, leaving 230 as the verified number of abducted persons.

Rev. Yohanna attributed the discrepancies to the chaotic nature of the incident, noting that some pupils fled into nearby bushes and did not return immediately, while others were not promptly accounted for due to the absence of their parents.

He stressed that the inconsistencies were not intended to mislead the public but arose from the challenges of managing a fast-evolving and emotionally charged situation.

The Diocese expressed appreciation to the government and security agencies for their swift intervention, as well as to parents, the Christian community, the media and members of the public for their prayers and support. He also offered prayers for healing and restoration for the affected families.