The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora has announced that an additional 88 students have been confirmed missing following the attack on St. Mary Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
This new figure emerged after distressed parents rushed to the school to pick up their children, only to realise many of them were nowhere to be found.
Terrorists had invaded the school early Friday morning, abducting numerous students and staff members.
Providing an update on Saturday, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, revealed that a total of 303 students are now unaccounted for. He had earlier put the number at 215.
He also confirmed that 12 teachers—four women and eight men—were taken during the attack.
According to him, the school has 430 pupils in the primary section and 199 in the secondary section, making it one of the largest mission schools in the area.
Reacting to claims by the Niger State Government that the school had been instructed to close operations before the attack, the Bishop strongly refuted the allegation.
He said neither the school management nor the Education Secretary received any circular or notice regarding closure.
“We asked the Education Secretary if he received a circular—he said no. Whether he was asked to send one to us—he also said no. Even verbally, he said no,” Yohanna said through his aide, Daniel Atori.
He added that the National Association of Private Schools also confirmed they received no such directive.
“They said the school was shut down and reopened a few days ago. That is also not true. We are law-abiding,” he maintained.
The Diocese urged the government to clarify its claims as families anxiously await news of their missing children.
