The Pathfinder
Saturday November 22, 2025
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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State has confirmed that a total of 227 people were kidnapped during Friday’s attack on St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, near Kontagora.
The confirmation was issued by the state CAN chairman, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, who also serves as the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese. His statement, signed by his media aide, Dan Atori, was released in Minna on Friday evening.
According to the Bishop, the abducted victims include 215 pupils and students as well as 12 teachers taken away by the gunmen during the early-morning invasion. He added that a few students managed to escape in the confusion that followed the attack, prompting anxious parents to rush to the school to retrieve their children. The school has since been closed down.
Yohanna said CAN is already in communication with state authorities and security agencies to ensure the safe return of all those taken, urging residents to remain calm while rescue efforts continue. He appealed for prayers, noting that the situation demands both patience and national solidarity.
The attack, carried out by suspected terrorists, took place on Friday, 21 November 2025. Security operatives have since been deployed to the area as part of ongoing search-and-rescue operations.
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