STILL MISSING: Catholic Bishop Confirms 265 Teachers And Students Still Missing After Niger School Abduction Crisis [VIDEO]

 

More than a week after armed gunmen stormed St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger State, 265 teachers and students remain unaccounted for, the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora, Bulus Yohanna, has revealed. The diocese has submitted a list of the missing individuals to Niger State Governor Umar Bago as authorities continue efforts to secure their release.

Bishop Yohanna explained that the initial abduction involved 315 people, including 12 teachers and 303 pupils. Since then, 50 hostages managed to escape and return home safely, leaving 265 still missing. “Those who reunited with their parents allowed us to update the headcount. Deducting them from the total, 265 are still not accounted for,” the bishop stated during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

The cleric also emphasized that the school received no prior warning of the attack, contradicting claims that intelligence had been provided. Families of the missing children and staff are deeply worried, and two parents have reportedly died from shock following the abduction. Some of the abducted children are nursery-school age, heightening concerns over their safety.

As chairman of the Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Bishop Yohanna called on the federal and state governments to deploy security operatives to protect the remaining hostages and secure schools across the region. He stressed the urgency of the situation, highlighting the trauma faced by the families and the immediate need for intervention.

The abduction forms part of a continuing wave of mass kidnappings targeting schools and religious institutions in Nigeria. In the same week, 25 schoolgirls were abducted from another school, while 38 worshippers were seized in Kebbi and Kwara States, prompting President Bola Tinubu to declare a national emergency.

Despite the chaos, authorities have intensified their search for the perpetrators. President Tinubu has vowed to rescue all remaining hostages and ensure justice is served. Meanwhile, families continue to plead for the safe return of their children and loved ones, with communities across Niger State hoping for a swift resolution to this crisis. 

Bishop Yohanna says St. Mary's School never received any prior warning of an impending attack and insists there would be no reason for the school to have received such 'instruction and not obey it.'#CTVTweets pic.twitter.com/zadcWcWuJ8

— Channels Television (@channelstv) November 28, 2025