The abduction of 265 people from St. Mary’s School in Niger State has triggered a crisis affecting not only the Diocese of Kontagora but the entire nation, already grappling with widespread insecurity and institutional fragility. In response, Pope Leo XIV called for the urgent release of the hostages, issuing an appeal during the Angelus on 23 November. Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna of Kontagora speaks about the events and ongoing responses.
Your Excellency, how did the attack unfold in the early hours?
The attackers entered the school compound during the night, injuring the security guard on duty before proceeding through the dormitories. The assault lasted nearly three hours, during which pupils and students were taken from their rooms and loaded into vehicles. The school was left in a state of shock: confusion, abandoned belongings, and missing persons, which took time to piece together.
(Foto FB/Bulus Dauwa Yohanna)
How many hostages have been confirmed?
The initial estimate was 315 missing persons. Further checks with families revealed that fifty had fled into the bush and returned home without notifying the school.
The confirmed number of hostages is therefore 265 people.
This figure has been shared with parents, guardians, and school leadership. The institution accommodates over six hundred young people, many of whom are boarders.
How is the identification process with families progressing?
The early hours were marked by confusion and disorganised movements. The Diocese worked with parents to avoid duplicate names and verify precisely who was missing. It has been a gradual but necessary process to provide a reliable picture and to communicate effectively with civil and military authorities.
What is the current level of cooperation with state and federal authorities?
Coordination is ongoing. The full list of the missing has been submitted to the Niger State government and federal authorities, and investigators have been granted full access to facilities and witness statements. Information sharing is essential: a common database helps avoid misunderstandings and allows operations to be planned more coherently.
What challenges are you facing in managing the emergency?
Some public reports have cast doubt on the actual size of the school or the accuracy of the numbers provided. Such interpretations are unfounded and only generate uncertainty. Further complicating the situation is
the complete lack of communication from the abductors, which makes it harder to assess the timeline and scope for intervention.
Contradictory statements have also contributed to confusion at a time when consistent information would be more appropriate.
What avenues are being explored to facilitate the release of the hostages?
The response must be multi-pronged. Public appeals maintain national and international attention; discreet diplomacy enables contact channels to be explored without exposing hostages to risk; local mediation, grounded in knowledge of the area, can prove valuable in complex contexts such as this. None of these avenues is sufficient alone: a joint and measured approach is necessary.
The Niger State is among the regions in Nigeria most affected by internal instability. In recent years, armed groups have intensified kidnappings, attacks on rural communities, and raids on boarding schools, exploiting the limited presence of security forces in outlying areas. Vast farmlands, difficult terrain, and limited infrastructure make it challenging to protect schools, often attended by hundreds of boarders. St. Mary’s School is part of this structural vulnerability, already seen in other parts of the country.
Have there been any signals or contact from the abductors?
No. So far, there has been no communication, either direct or indirect. This is one of the main difficulties for families and for those coordinating the response.
How do you view the option of paying a ransom?
The Diocese does not consider this path viable.
Ransom payments fuel criminal networks and make other communities more vulnerable.
We understand the families’ concern, but the crisis must be managed by the State, the security forces, and competent mediators.
What measures are needed to strengthen school security?
We need permanent security posts, stricter access controls, surveillance systems, and adequate lighting. However, prevention also requires interventions at the social level: tackling banditry, investing in rural areas, and youth policies that offer real opportunities. Security is a combination of factors, not just a structural setup.
How do you interpret a targeted attack against Christian students?
It is an act that strikes at human dignity even before religious identity. Families are experiencing profound suffering, and the Diocese stands with them pastorally and humanely. Local communities, regardless of religious affiliation, feel the impact of a violence that threatens the educational and social stability of the entire region.
What steps do you consider necessary on the ecclesial, civil, and interreligious levels?
It is essential to strengthen cooperation between civil institutions, religious communities, and ecclesial realities. The Church continues its educational and pastoral mission; the State must guarantee minimum security conditions; and the various religious communities must maintain dialogue channels to reduce tensions and prevent extremist drift.