By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
IN spite of the recovery of 50 pupils so far, a wave of fear and outrage is still sweeping across Niger State following the release of the names of 265 people abducted by armed men in Agwara Local Government Area.
The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, on Tuesday, released the names of the 265 people, including pupils, students, teachers and non-academic staff of St Mary’s Catholic Nursery, Primary and Secondary School, Papiri.
The diocese, in the official list, detailed the names and classes of the victims, painting a grim picture of the scale of the mass abduction that took place on 24th November 2025.
The document shows that among those still remaining in captivity are 12 members of staff, 14 secondary school students, and a staggering 239 nursery and primary school pupils, some as young as Nursery 1.
The victims include teachers such as Bitrus Yohanna, Cyril Bagudu, Mercy Yohanna and Justina Yakubu, alongside several non-academic staff.
The youngest abductees—listed under Nursery 1—include Nathaniel Andrew, Shalom Terry, Ajikovi Andrew, Zacharia Sabastine, and John Lois.
Secondary school students were not spared. Those kidnapped range from Junior Secondary School 1 pupils like Amos Kiloybas and Onah Benedict, to Senior Secondary students such as Simon Christopher, Yohanna Cephas, Christopher Justice and Samuel Michael.
The extensive list underscores the devastating extent of the attack, which is now one of the largest school abductions in Nigeria in recent years.
In the summary provided, the Diocese lamented that the incident has left families shattered and the entire community traumatised, adding that the scale of the kidnapping reflects the worsening insecurity in rural parts of Niger State.
Church authorities have called on the Federal Government and security agencies to deploy every necessary resource to ensure the safe rescue of all victims.
“Our hearts are heavy. An entire school community has been taken,” a senior diocesan official said. “These are innocent children and dedicated staff. Their families are in deep anguish. We implore the government to act with urgency.”
The Diocese also urged Nigerians to stand in solidarity with the affected families and pray for the safe return of the captives.
Security forces are yet to provide an official update on rescue operations, but pressure continues to mount on authorities as the nation grapples with the shock of another mass kidnapping targeting children.
As communities await further information, the horrifying reality remains: an entire school—staff and pupils—has vanished into the hands of abductors, leaving behind fear, uncertainty and a desperate hope for their safe return.
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