Tag: CAN

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has clarified that it has not received any official confirmation about the reported release of 100 students abducted in Niger State. Bishop Bulus Yohanna, Chairman of CAN’s Niger State chapter, said in a statement on Monday that while news of the children’s freedom would be welcomed, the association has yet to receive any formal update on their whereabouts. “It will be a thing of joy if some of our children have been released. We have been praying and waiting for their return. If it is true, then it is cheering news. However, we are not officially aware and have not been duly notified. We hope and pray it’s true and will be looking forward to when the remaining will be released,” the statement read. The students were abducted on November 21, 2025, when bandits attacked St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in the remote community of Papiri, taking 315 people—303 students and 12 teachers. Fifty pupils managed to escape the same day and were reunited with their families. Last week, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu visited the school, assuring authorities and parents that the children were safe and would soon be returned. Commenting on the reported release on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, retired Major General John Enenche, a former director of media operations at the Defence Headquarters, praised the Federal Government and security agencies for their efforts. “My take is that the government and the security agencies have done a lot, and I believe that Nigerians will be happy for this. I can tell you that it is not easy, whichever way or means were used to get these children out,” Enenche said.

Fifty children who were among the hundreds abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger State, have successfully fled from their captors and returned to their families, according to a fresh update from the Christian Association of Nigeria. The children escaped in two waves between Friday and Saturday, prompting CAN officials to begin contacting parents directly to verify their return. The confirmation followed visits to several homes, where families reported that their children had shown up on their own after wandering away from the abductors. CAN explained that the primary section of the school has 430 pupils, including 377 boarders. After accounting for those who escaped and those who were never taken, authorities now say 236 pupils remain in captivity. They are being held alongside three children of staff members, 14 secondary school students, and 12 staff — a total of 253 people still missing. Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, who oversees the school, urged residents to remain calm and prayerful, noting that the situation is still unfolding. He assured the public that church leaders are working closely with security agencies, community heads and government officials to secure the release of every remaining hostage. The mass abduction happened on Friday when armed attackers overran the school. While early reports estimated 227 victims, a detailed verification carried out by CAN revealed that 315 people were actually taken — 303 students and 12 teachers. The corrected figure emerged after parents who initially believed their children had escaped later returned to report them missing. CAN’s checks showed that 88 of those students were captured while attempting to flee during the chaos of the attack.

Most Rev’d Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State and Catholic Bishop of Kontogora Diocese, has confirmed that 227 students and teachers were abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri on Friday. According to Yohanna, the abducted group includes 215 students and 12 teachers. “I just returned from the village after visiting the school and speaking with parents. We are coordinating with the government and security agencies to ensure the safe return of our children,” he said. He noted that some students managed to escape during the attack, and parents have begun picking up their children as the school remains closed. The Niger State government and security agencies have not yet provided an official update on the exact number of those abducted.