St Mary’s School parents demand answers as fate of their kids remains uncertain

30.11.2025
Parents and relatives of the 200 students and teachers of the St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, have called on the government to act fast and save their wards.
St Mary’s was attacked on November 21 by Fulani militia bandits, and 315 persons were carted away in an open truck. However, 50 students manage to escape from their captors. It’s been nine days after the incident and there is no word from the gunmen concerning the release of the remain students and teachers.
The parents gathered at the school premises Sunday urged the government to intervene as the bandits have gone radio silence and the Niger State government has not done enough to end their suffering.
They peacefully demonstrated at school premises carrying placards that read: ‘Bring Back Our Girls’, ‘Our Girls and Teachers are still in captivity’, ‘We need security in Agwarra’, and ‘Is education a crime?’
“I am devastated, in fact, I am very disturbed that the children up till now are not back yet,” said Sister Blessing Amodu, the headmistress of the school.
“All I am pleading for at this moment is for the government and all concerned and everyone that is touched by this to please help us to look for ways on how to rescue these children and the staff back to us,” she pleaded.
A parent, Dimas Joseph Mauhuta, whose son, Julius Dimas (JSS 2), is among those abducted, blamed the government for reportedly saying the children were not kidnapped.
“We wonder why the state government will say such a thing. The truth is that my child and others were abducted. The government should stop playing the blame game and act. They should come to our aid instead of saying what is not true,” he said.
Also speaking, Emmanuel Ejeh, whose son, Mathias, was abducted, recalled that his two other children graduated from the school and that it had never experienced such an attack in the past.
“We are appealing to the government to please help us. bring back our children, they are innocent, they don’t deserve this,” he said.
Addressing the parents, the Catholic Bishop of the Kontagora Diocese, Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, expressed hope that the abductees would soon regain their freedom.
“It is eight days now since their abduction, we have not heard anything yet. We are still very hopeful of their return and we are prayerful,” he said.