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The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora has announced that all children and staff members taken from St. Mary’s Catholic Schools in Papiri, Niger, have been rescued and reunited with their families.
Rev. Bulus Yohanna, the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora and Proprietor of St. Mary Catholic Private Primary and Secondary School, made this announcement in a statement on Thursday.
He reported that a total of 230 individuals, consisting of 12 staff members, 14 students, and 204 pupils, were confirmed to have been abducted and subsequently rescued through the collaborative efforts of the Federal and Niger State governments, along with security agencies.
Yohanna stated that all rescued children have been reunited with their families, and there have been no reports indicating that any child is still missing.
He explained that immediately following the abduction on November 21, an initial headcount revealed that 315 individuals were unaccounted for.
He noted that on November 23, 50 of those initially reported as missing managed to escape and return to their parents, which reduced the number of individuals unaccounted for to 265.
“A joint verification exercise conducted by the state government, security agencies, and school authorities later found that not all parents were present during the initial verification,” he said.
“A second and final verification, carried out by the school authorities in partnership with the Parents-Teachers Association, determined that an additional 35 individuals were either not abducted or had escaped earlier,” he added.
He further explained that out of the original 315 individuals reported missing, 85 were confirmed to have either escaped or not been abducted, bringing the verified number of those abducted down to 230.
He acknowledged that discrepancies noted during the initial headcount were due to the chaotic circumstances surrounding the incident.
He mentioned that some pupils fled into nearby bushes and did not return in time for the first headcount, while some parents were absent during the verification process.
Yohanna emphasized that these discrepancies were not meant to mislead the public but were a result of the challenges presented by a rapidly evolving and emotionally charged situation.
He expressed gratitude to the government and security agencies for their intervention, as well as to parents, the Christian community, the media, and the public for their prayers, patience, and support.
He also offered prayers for healing and restoration for all families affected by the incident.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at St. Mary’s Catholic Schools in Papiri?
There was an abduction incident where children and staff members were taken from the school. Fortunately, all have since been rescued and reunited with their families.
How many individuals were abducted?
A total of 230 individuals were confirmed to have been abducted, including 12 staff members, 14 students, and 204 pupils.
What was the verification process like?
The verification process involved multiple exercises conducted by the state government, security agencies, and school authorities to confirm the safety of the individuals initially reported missing.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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