By our reporter 26.11.2025
A father of three students at the St Mary’s Catholic School Papiri Niger State, who were kidnapped by gunmen has died of a heart attack.
The Christian Association of Nigeria northern region and Federal Capital Territory chairman, Rev. John Hayab, disclosed that the father passed on when he got to know three of his children have been taken by the suspected Fulani militia bandits.
“One of the parents (Mr Anthony) of these girls picked in the school, died of a heart attack because three of his children are victims,” Rev Hayab said in a chat with ARISE TV.
“It was a very sad thing. You can imagine a man in shock because three children… he would not know what to explain, what is happening to them.”
“People don’t understand this. These children have not slept, they have not bathed, and their parents cannot even explain where they are,” he stressed.
He urged the government to stop playing politics with the spate of kidnappings and killings in the north and central parts of the country and address the problem.
“People don’t understand that when you tell it as it is, you’re not speaking against anybody; you are only trying to state the problem.
Hayab also revealed that reports from locals in Niger State showed no visible security presence, stating that Nigerians want action, not statements.
“The onus is now on the Nigerian security agencies to ensure that we don’t speak about this on television. People want to see concrete action,” he said.
About 315 students and teachers were forcibly taken away by Fulani militia bandits on November 18, 50 senior students returned on their own after fleeing into the bush during the bandit attack, but over 265 students remain unaccounted for, most aged between nine and 14.