Two weeks after the abduction of students, pupils, and staff of St. Mary Catholic School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, parents and school officials say they have still not received any communication from the abductors.
The attack, carried out by suspected bandits on November 21, saw 315 individuals, including students and staff, taken from the school. However, 50 of the children managed to escape a few days after the abduction.
The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, which owns the school, confirmed that 265 individuals, including students and staff, remain in captivity. The diocese also stated that no contact has been made by the abductors to date.
In a recent update, the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Most Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, reiterated that the school and the affected parents have not received any contact from the abductors.
He also shared that, despite the lack of communication, the parents and school officials remain hopeful due to assurances made by a federal government delegation.
Last week, National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu visited the diocese and assured the authorities that the children were safe and would be rescued soon.
One of the parents, Dimas Joseph Mauhuta, whose son, Julius Dimas, a Junior Secondary School 2 student, was among those abducted, expressed frustration, saying he had not received any contact from the abductors.
While speaking with Sunday Leadership, he added that he and other parents were relying on the assurance given by the National Security Adviser and are hopeful for the prompt rescue of their children.
“The government should act and come to our aid. We are relying on the assurance of the National Security Adviser; the assurance has given us hope,” he said.
The school’s head teacher, Rev. Sister Blessing Amodu, also made an emotional plea for government intervention. She urged all relevant authorities and concerned individuals to do everything possible to help rescue the children and staff and return them to their families.
“All I am pleading for at this moment is for the government and all concerned, and everyone that is touched by our situation, to please help us to look for ways on how to rescue these children and the staff and return them back to us. That is all I am pleading for, nothing more than that,” she said.
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