The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Niger State, North-Central Nigeria, has confirmed the successful rescue and reunification of all pupils, students, and staff members abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Schools in Papiri, a rural community in Niger State.
Okay News reports that the confirmation was made by Reverend Bulus Yohanna, the Proprietor of St. Mary’s Catholic Private Primary and Secondary School and a senior official of the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, through an official statement released on Thursday, December 25, 2025.
According to Reverend Yohanna, a total of 230 individuals were conclusively verified as having been abducted during the incident. This figure comprised 204 pupils, 14 secondary school students, and 12 members of staff attached to the school. He stated that all those abducted have now been safely rescued and reunited with their respective families.
The abduction occurred on Thursday, November 21, 2025, when armed assailants invaded the school premises, triggering panic among pupils, teachers, and surrounding residents. In the immediate aftermath, an initial headcount conducted under chaotic conditions suggested that as many as 315 individuals were missing.
Reverend Yohanna explained that subsequent investigations revealed inconsistencies in the preliminary figures. On Saturday, November 23, 2025, fifty pupils who had fled into nearby bushes during the attack managed to escape and return to their parents, reducing the number of unaccounted persons to 265.
“A joint verification exercise by the Niger State Government, security agencies, and school authorities later revealed that not all parents were present during the exercise,” Yohanna said.
He further disclosed that a second and final verification exercise, carried out by the school management in collaboration with the Parents-Teachers Association, established that an additional 35 individuals had either not been abducted at all or had escaped much earlier than initially recorded.
“As a result, out of the initial 315 persons reported missing, 85 were confirmed to have either escaped or not been abducted, bringing the verified number of abducted persons to 230,” he added.
The cleric acknowledged that the discrepancies in the early reports were largely due to the confusion and emotional trauma that followed the attack. He noted that several pupils hid in surrounding bushes for extended periods, while some parents were absent during verification exercises, complicating accurate record-keeping.
Yohanna emphasized that the inconsistencies were not intended to mislead the public, stressing that the situation evolved rapidly and under extreme distress.
He expressed deep appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Niger State Government, and Nigerian security agencies for their coordinated efforts in securing the release of the abducted individuals. He also thanked parents, members of the Christian community, the media, and the general public for their prayers, patience, and solidarity.
The priest concluded by offering prayers for healing, emotional recovery, and restoration for the affected children, staff members, and families.
