Residents of Niger State are still grieving as 265 pupils and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic Schools, Papiri, remain missing more than a week after armed attackers stormed the school and abducted hundreds.
The shocking update was confirmed by the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora, Bulus Yohanna, during an interview with Channels Television.
According to Bishop Yohanna, the school initially recorded 315 missing persons, 303 schoolchildren and 12 teachers following a headcount.
While 50 victims eventually returned home, the heartbreaking reality is that 265 individuals, including nursery-age children, are still missing.
The bishop, who also heads the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State, said the incident has thrown the community into confusion and fear. Tragically, two parents have died from shock, unable to cope with the trauma of their missing children.
He also dismissed reports that the school had received prior intelligence about the attack, insisting that the abduction caught everyone off guard.
This mass kidnapping, which saw over 300 children abducted in one swoop, adds to a disturbing wave of similar incidents across Nigeria.
Earlier the same week, 25 schoolgirls were abducted in another incident, while 38 worshippers were seized from churches in Kebbi and Kwara States.
Following nationwide outrage, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a national emergency on school safety and ordered a massive manhunt to rescue the victims.