By our reporter 28.11.2025
Families of the students and teachers at the St Mary’s Catholic School Papiri in Niger State are worried over the silence of the suspected Fulani militia bandits who kidnapped their relatives on November 21.
A week after the incident the bandits are yet to make any contact with the school or government of Niger State, and this is troubling to the entire community.
Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) chairman in Niger State, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, who was speaking on Channels TV Friday the families of the victims are worried sick of the situation.
“So far, we have not had any contact with them. As I’m speaking now, we’ve not had any call regarding the abductors,” Yohanna said.
“Families are traumatised and worried. We are praying and hoping that by the grace of God, their children will be released.”
The bandits carted away 315 persons, but 50 of those numbers managed to escape
“Out of that number, we deducted them from the 315. We now have 265 as of now. That is the number that is missing,” he said.
He said that initially the bandits target was reverend sisters housed within the school premises.
“I think the first attempt was to see if they could break through where the sisters are living. That didn’t happen. he said.”
He said the attackers then tried to force another gate separating the convent from the school but failed, eventually heading to the hostels where the children slept.