The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora (Nigeria) has published an update on the mass kidnapping that occurred at St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, in the locality of Papiri, where a total of 315 people —including primary school pupils, secondary school students, and teaching staff— were abducted during an armed attack.
The statement, dated November 23, 2025, reports that 50 pupils managed to escape in the days following the kidnapping and have already reunited with their families. However, the situation remains extremely serious: 265 people remain in captivity.
A mass kidnapping: 315 victims, including 289 children
According to the diocese, the terrorists attacked the school mid-week and forcibly took 289 primary school pupils, 14 secondary school students and 12 staff members.
The 50 minors who managed to flee escaped between Friday and Saturday, although they did not return to school. The diocese managed to confirm their safe return through home visits and phone calls with their families.
The diocesan secretary, Father Jatau Luka Joseph, details that among the 265 still in captivity are 239 primary school pupils, 14 secondary school students and 12 employees of the institution.
The magnitude of the attack and the drama of the families
The statement also points out that St. Mary’s has 430 primary school pupils (of which 377 are boarders) and 199 secondary school pupils, including 185 boarders. These figures evidence the magnitude of the crime and help to gauge the human tragedy that parents, priests, and school officials are experiencing.
The diocese continues working with authorities and asks for calm
The diocese assures that it is closely collaborating with security agencies, local authorities, and humanitarian organizations to achieve the rescue of the kidnapped and continuously verify the information received.
“We remain fully committed to the safe rescue of those who are still in captivity. We ask the public to remain calm, prayerful, and supportive”, the statement says.
The ecclesiastical authorities reiterated that they will continue updating the data as search efforts progress.