- The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora has confirmed that all 230 students and staff abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, have been safely rescued and returned, ending a month-long ordeal that began on November 21, 2025.
- Bishop Bruce Daua-Johanna clarified the discrepancy in the earlier reported numbers, explaining that panic, delays in body counting and premature exodus had led to an exaggeration of the initial figures.
- The final settlement confirms that all verified abductees have been reunited with their families
The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora has officially announced the safe return of all students and staff abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State. This final confirmation marks the end of a painful month-long ordeal that began on November 21, 2025.
In a detailed reconciliation statement, Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, Bishop of Kontagora and owner of the school, confirmed that 230 people had been rescued and reunited with their families.
Break down numbers
The diocese provided a clear breakdown of those rescued, addressing previous conflicting reports:
- Kindergarten/elementary school students: 204
- Middle school students: 14
- Staff: 12
- Total number of verified abductees: 230
Speaking about why initial reports suggested more than 300 people were missing, Bishop Yohana explained that the panic that followed the pre-dawn raids led to significant discrepancies.
“Later joint verification by the state government, security agencies and school authorities revealed that not all parents were present during the exercise… Some students fled to nearby bushes and did not return immediately for the first head count, while some parents were absent during the verification process.”
The bishop clarified the circumstances of those initially listed as 315 missing:
- Fifty people escaped within 48 hours.
- It was later discovered that 35 people were never abducted or escaped early and went home directly.
- 100 people were released on December 7.
The final 130 were confirmed on December 21, bringing the total number of verified persons to 230.
The rescue was a coordinated effort by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the National Security Agency, the Armed Forces and the Niger State Government. Bishop Johanna describes this homecoming as “The best Christmas gift ever” The church can accept it.
“The second and final verification by the school authorities in collaboration with the Parent-Teacher Association revealed that the other 35 individuals were either not abducted or had previously escaped… We are deeply grateful to the Government of Nigeria, the Niger State Government and all security agencies whose intervention helped bring an end to this painful incident.”
The school remains committed to providing counseling and recovery support to affected families as they begin the recovery process.
