It was a moment of celebration and relief for parents and school management as the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora confirmed the release of all abducted pupils and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
The Church confirmed their release in a statement on Christmas signed by Bulus Yohanna, the Bishop of Kontagora.
According to the statement, a comprehensive reconciliation and verification exercise established that 230 persons were actually abducted during the raid and that all have now regained their freedom.
Read also: Niger: Police confirm release of remaining 130 Papiri students
According to the statement, their freedom brings formal closure to the 21 November school attack that shocked the country.
“The final reconciliation confirms that 230 pupils and staff members were abducted during the attack on St. Mary’s School, Papiri, and all have been safely reunited with their families. No pupil or staff member remains in captivity,” Yohanna stated.
According to the diocese, the abducted persons comprised 12 staff members, 14 secondary school students, and 204 nursery and primary pupils.
The bishop stated that the reconciliation exercise became necessary because of conflicting figures that circulated in the days following the attack.
“In the immediate aftermath of the incident, an initial headcount suggested that 315 persons were missing.
He added that it became evident that not all those initially listed had been abducted, as clarity gradually emerged.
“In summary, out of the initial 315 persons reported missing, 85 were later confirmed to have either escaped or not been abducted, leaving a verified total of 230 abducted persons.
“The confusion reflected the reality of a fast-moving and emotionally charged crisis. At no point was there any intention to mislead the public or exaggerate figures,” Yohanna stated.
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