Governor Umar Bago of Niger state has provided crucial clarification regarding the recent attack on St. Mary's Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara local government area, revealing that several students reported missing may not have been abducted as initially feared.
Governor Bago's Important Clarification
In a significant development following the security incident, Governor Bago explained that the exact number of children in captivity remains unclear because many students fled into nearby forests during the attack. The governor emphasized that the school administration had formally communicated to him that the students should be classified as "missing, not abducted."
Speaking in a video interview with BBC posted on Wednesday, November 26, Bago stated: "There was an attack, and there was a scare. A lot of children went into the forest. The school said to me in writing, 'missing, not abducted,' number of missing students. So they are not certain whether all these students are with the bandits, nor are they in the bush."
Rescue Operations Yield Positive Results
Security operations in the area have already produced encouraging outcomes, with Governor Bago confirming that additional missing persons have been located and brought to safety. Authorities rescued 11 people from a farm settlement, adding to the previous tally of recovered individuals.
"Outside the last 51 that were declared, an additional 11 have been confirmed rescued, and operation is still going on," the governor announced during his interview. However, he declined to discuss specific operational details, noting that "Security is what you see. We can't discuss security on your screen; we are here to rescue lives."
School Serves Diverse Community
Governor Bago also addressed concerns about religious dimensions to the attack, emphasizing that the targeted institution serves people of various religious backgrounds and functions as a community hub beyond its educational purpose.
"The church has been there for a lot of people," Bago explained. "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."
The governor expressed concern that some individuals were attempting to manipulate the incident to promote a false narrative. He warned against actors trying to "blackmail the country" or create religious crisis by portraying the attack as specifically targeting Christians.
Accountability Measures and School Closures
To properly account for all students, authorities have established a registration system. "We have opened a register there, and we are counting," Governor Bago confirmed, indicating the ongoing efforts to locate every missing individual.
In response to security concerns, the governor announced that boarding schools in the affected community will not reopen immediately. "It is not going to be very soon that we're going to open boarding schools in Papiri," Bago stated. "It won't open now until we are assured the lives of people or students are secured."
The situation remains fluid as security operations continue in the area, with authorities working to locate all missing students and ensure the safety of educational institutions throughout Niger state.
