The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, has rejected claims by the state government that St. Mary’s Catholic Schools in Papiri, Agwara LGA, received prior warnings of an imminent bandit attack.
Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, CAN Chairman and Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, described reports of a government alert as “propaganda” and an attempt to shift blame.
“We did not receive any circular, written or verbal, from any government office or individual. This is false and must be retracted or supported with evidence,” he said.
Bishop Yohanna emphasized that the school had previously acted decisively during security rumors in 2022, shutting down immediately to protect students. Inquiries with the Education Secretary and the National Association of Private Schools confirmed that no warning was issued before Friday’s attack.
Following a verification exercise, CAN confirmed that 303 students and 12 staff members were abducted, including 88 students who were captured after attempting to escape.
“This brings the total number of abducted persons to 315. The school has 629 students in total—430 in primary and 199 in secondary,” Bishop Yohanna said.
Call for Calm and Prayer
CAN urged the public to remain calm and prayerful, while assuring that it is working closely with security agencies, community leaders, and government authorities to ensure the safe and swift return of all abducted students and staff.
“We continue to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders to bring our children back safely,” Bishop Yohanna said.