“So far, we have not had any contact with them. As I’m speaking now, we’ve not had any call regarding the abductors,” Bishop Yohanna said in an interview with Channels Television on Friday, days after one of the largest mass kidnappings in the country.
The Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State, Bulus Yohanna, stated that authorities have still not established contact with the armed men who abducted hundreds of pupils and teachers from St Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area.
Gunmen raided the school between 1am and 3am on November 21, shooting a security guard before forcing pupils, students, and teachers into the bush. Initial figures suggested 215 pupils and 12 teachers were missing, but after verification by security operatives, community leaders, and diocesan officials, the number increased significantly.
A revised tally showed that 315 people were abducted, consisting of 303 students and 12 teachers, in a state where mass kidnappings have become frequent.
The diocese later confirmed that 50 pupils managed to escape and reunite with their families, leaving 265 still missing.
Bishop Yohanna recounted how the attackers first went to the convent where Catholic sisters reside.
“They were asking, ‘Where are the sisters living?’ The gateman said, ‘They work here, but they don’t live here.’ So they shot him and then forced the gate open,” he said.
He explained that the gunmen then attempted to break through the barrier separating the convent from the school premises but failed, prompting them to move toward the student hostels.
“They shot into the air and everyone was scared. Many escaped into the bushes, but they went away with some of them,” he said.
The bishop rejected claims by the Niger State Government that the school had been warned about an impending attack and failed to comply with directives.
He recalled that in 2021/2022, the school shut down for five months based solely on rumours of a potential attack.
“We reinforced the security system, built a security fence, and relocated students writing final exams,” he said. “Since then, we have not had anything, no verbal warning, no written warning, until this incident happened.”
Yohanna said government suggestions that the school operated without notifying or seeking clearance were surprising.
“If we had a warning, I see no reason why we should not obey it,” he said.
The bishop confirmed ongoing communication with the Department of State Services (DSS) in Kontagora and added that the sisters had submitted statements to the police.
“Most of the information we have, I’ve forwarded to the DSS officer,” he said, adding that police at the local DPO’s office were compiling names and details of the abducted persons.
“Of course, they are traumatised and worried. We are praying and hoping that by the grace of God, their children will be released,” he said.
Reflecting on broader issues, Yohanna mentioned the Safe Schools Initiative, launched after the 2014 Chibok abduction but widely seen as ineffective.
As of Friday, schools across Niger State remain closed under government directive, with 265 children and teachers from St Mary’s still in captivity and no word yet from their abductors.
