December 25, 2025
The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora has confirmed the successful rescue and reunification of all pupils and staff abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Schools, Papiri, in Niger State.
The confirmation was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by Rev. Bulus Yohanna, Proprietor of St. Mary’s Catholic Private Primary and Secondary School and an official of the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora.
According to Yohanna, a total of 230 persons, comprising 204 pupils, 14 students, and 12 staff members – were verified to have been abducted during the incident and later rescued through the combined efforts of the Federal Government, Niger State Government, and security agencies.
He stated that all rescued pupils had since been reunited with their families, stressing that there were no outstanding reports of missing children.
Yohanna explained that initial figures released after the Nov. 21 abduction indicated that 315 persons were unaccounted for, but subsequent verification exercises clarified the situation.
He said that by Nov. 23, 50 persons had escaped and returned to their families, while a second and final verification – conducted jointly with the Parents-Teachers Association, established that 35 others were either never abducted or had escaped earlier.
“These findings brought the verified number of abducted persons to 230,” he said, adding that discrepancies during the early headcount were caused by the confusion and panic that followed the attack.
Yohanna noted that some pupils fled into nearby bushes and could not immediately return for verification, while the absence of some parents during initial exercises further complicated the process.
He emphasised that the inconsistencies were not deliberate but a result of the chaotic and emotionally charged nature of the incident.
The diocese expressed deep appreciation to the government, security agencies, parents, the Christian community, the media, and members of the public for their prayers, support, and patience throughout the ordeal.
Yohanna concluded by offering prayers for healing, restoration, and emotional recovery for all families affected by the abduction.
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