By THE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has confirmed that 227 pupils, students, and staff were abducted by suspected terrorists during a dawn raid on a Catholic school in Niger State.
Stonix News reports that the attack, which took place on Friday at St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, has been described as an event of “unimaginable trauma” for the local community.
The Friday herding of 227 into the woods by the daredevil terrorists came barely a week after 25 pupils were abducted in their hostel in Maga, Kebbi State.
READ ALSO: https://stonixnews.com/terrorism-plateau-shuts-all-basic-schools////
The Niger State CAN Chairman, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, disclosed the figure after visiting the stricken community in the Agwarra Local Government Area.
He met with school authorities and consoled parents whose children were taken in the large-scale kidnapping.
In a statement, Rev. Yohanna confirmed the abductees include 215 pupils and students, along with 12 of their teachers.
“We are actively collaborating with security operatives, community leaders, and government authorities for the safe and quick return of all abductees,” he assured the public.
It is understood that several students managed to escape during the chaos of the attack.
Authorities have since closed the school for safety reasons, with parents continuing to retrieve their children from the site.
The CAN chairman has appealed for restraint and urged the community and the nation at large to remain prayerful and hopeful.
He also offered prayers for the protection of the community and the safe release of all those being held.
The incident is one of the largest mass abductions from a school in Nigeria in recent years, raising serious concerns about security in the region.
