St Mary Attack: New Twist as Niger Governor Says Students “Missing, Not Abducted”; Video Emerges

• Governor Bago has said the missing Papiri students are not all abducted; some fled into nearby forests
• He noted security operations are ongoing, and additional students are being rescued, just as authorities verify the exact numbers
• Boarding schools in Papiri, he noted, remain closed until authorities ensure students’ safety and protection

Governor Umar Bago of Niger state has revealed a new development in the aftermath of the attack on St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara local government area of the state.

He clarified that several students reported missing are not necessarily abducted.

He also confirmed that several missing students have been rescued as security operations continue in the area.

Speaking in a video interview with the BBC, posted on Wednesday, November 26, the governor said the school, which doubles as a community hub, serves people of diverse religious backgrounds and should not be framed as a symbol of religious persecution.

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“The church has been there for a lot of people,” Bago said.

“In that area, Papiri, the church has served as an orphanage, and the church has served as a school. The church has served as a home to a lot of people who are homeless. So it's beyond just Christianity. A lot of people who attend the school, who are even students or pupils, are probably not just Christians. There's a mixture.”

He added that some actors were attempting to manipulate the incident to fuel a false narrative.

“A lot of devil's advocates are trying to take advantage of that situation to try to blackmail the country,” he said.

“This is like an attempt to blackmail or to bring a crisis within this country, trying to portray that Christians are maligned or are being treated otherwise. But it's not so.”

Bago clarifies confusion over students’ status

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The governor said the exact number of children in captivity remains unclear because many fled into nearby forests during the attack.

“There was an attack, and there was a scare. A lot of children went into the forest,” he explained.

“The school said to me in writing, ‘missing, not abducted.’ So they are not certain whether all these students are with the bandits, nor are they in the bush.”

He noted that authorities have opened a register to account for all students, stating,

“We have opened a register there, and we are counting.”

More students rescued as operations intensify

Responding to questions on rescue efforts, Bago confirmed that additional victims had been found and brought to safety.

“In a farm settlement, we rescued 11 people,” he said.

“Outside the last 51 that were declared, an additional 11 have been confirmed rescued, and operation is still going on.”

He declined to discuss operational details, insisting:

“Security is not what you see. We can't discuss security on your screen; we are here to rescue lives.”

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Boarding schools in Papiri to remain closed

Bago also said boarding schools in the affected community would not reopen immediately.

“It is not going to be very soon that we're going to open boarding schools in Papiri,” he stated.

“It won't open now until we are assured the lives of people or students are secured.”

Watch video below:

Niger diocese releases Names of 265 abductees

In a related development, Legit.ng reported that the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora published a full list of 265 people, students, pupils and staff, abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger state.

The list covers 239 primary‑school pupils, 14 secondary students and 12 teachers/non‑academic staff.

The disclosure aims to assist parents, authorities and humanitarian groups tracking rescue efforts, while pressure mounts on security agencies to secure the release of those still held captive.

Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng