The attack at the St. Mary Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, Niger state, on Friday, November 21, left 88 additional kids missing, according to the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora.
The Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Most. Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, released an update on Saturday, November 22, stating that 303 pupils are currently unaccounted for.
He had earlier said 215 students could not be accounted for after the attack, adding that four female and eight male teachers were kidnapped during the raid.
He said the school had a population of 430 pupils in primary section and 199 secondary students.
The Bishop denied any prior warning from either the government or security agencies as claimed by the Secretary to State government.
“We have asked the Education Secretary if he received a circular he said no; or if he was asked to send any to us, he said no. We asked if he was verbally informed, he also said no. Let them tell the world who they gave the circular to, or through what channel did they send it.
We also asked the National Association of Private Schools, they did not get any such circular. They claimed the school was shutdown and reopened few days ago, that is also not true, we are law abiding”, he said through his aide, Daniel Atori
Recall that the Niger state had blamed the school for the abduction, In a statement released, the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, said following prior intelligence, the government ordered the closure of all boarding schools in the area but the Catholic school affected defied the warning and reopened.
