The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has said the number of students and pupils abducted by terrorists from St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger State, has increased from 227 to 315
The latest figure comprises 303 students and 12 teachers, making a total of 315 people.
This update was released by the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, in a statement issued by his Media Aide, Daniel Atori.
He said another round of
verification exercise and a final census carried out by the church showed that 303 students and pupils were actually kidnapped and not 215 as earlier claimed.
He, however, said the number of teachers kidnapped still remains 12.
“After we left the school at Papiri, we decided to make calls, conduct a verification exercise, and make further inquiries on those we had thought escaped successfully, only to discover that 88 more students were also captured after they tried to escape.
“Our attention was drawn when some parents, whose children we had thought escaped the attack, came asking about their children.
“We became curious, and that was when we conducted a census and discovered that they were abducted,” the cleric, who is also the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese said.
Yohanna stated the total number of pupils and students was 629, with 430 in primary and 199 in secondary school as at the time of the kidnap incident.
The cleric, who is also the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, refuted claims that the school had been given prior warning by the government, calling it “propaganda” and an attempt to shift blame.
“It is very pertinent we address the issue of prior warnings from either the government or security agencies as peddled in some quarters.”
