•More states shut schools
By Wole Mosadomi, Ndahi Marama & Femi Bolaji
The number of students and teachers abducted by suspected terrorists from St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, in Agwarra Local Government Area of Niger State, appears to have risen to 315.
This came on a day Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State directed all private and public schools in the state to shutdown hostels and revert to day schooling.
Governor Mohammed Bago of Niger State also ordered the shutdown of all schools across the state.
Meanwhile, a breakdown of those declared wanted as of press time showed that while 303 were students, 12 were teachers.
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Niger State, who is also the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Most Reverend Bulus Johanna, yesterday gave the update after a verification exercise and a final census was carried out.
His media aide, Daniel Atori, in a statement, denied receiving any official letter advising the school to shut down over insecurity.
The statement reads: “After we left the school at Papiri, we decided to make calls, do a verification exercise and do further enquiries on those we had thought escaped, only to discover that 88 more students were also captured after they tried to escape.
“Our attention was drawn when some parents whose children we had thought escaped from the attack also came asking of their children. We became curious, and that was when we did a census and discovered that they were abducted.
“This now makes it 303 students (male and female) including 12 teachers (four females and eight males), bringing the total number of abducted persons to 315. The total of pupils and students is 629 with the primary having 430 and the secondary 199 students.”
On the purported letter written to the school to shutdown, the statement said: “On getting back to the village after I visited the school, where I also met with parents of the children to assure them that we are working with the government and security agencies to see that our children are rescued and brought back safely, I got information which I termed propaganda. That the school was given a prior warning by government through a circular is not true.
“We did not receive any circular; it must be an afterthought and a way to shift blame. In the past, around 2022, when we heard of rumours of security challenges, we did not hesitate, we shutdown immediately. Is it when there is a circular from government asking us to shutdown that we won’t obey? “The school is owned by the Catholic Diocese, not by any individual. None of the reverend sisters travelled to Abuja as they alleged. Whoever made that misleading statement should know that it is a false allegation and should withdraw such or provide the proof and evidence.
“We have asked the education secretary if he received a circular, to which he said no. We asked if he was told to send any to us, he said no. We asked if he was verbally informed, he also said no. Let them tell the world who they gave the circular to, or the channel through which they sent it.
“We also asked the National Association of Private Schools if they got any such circular, and they also claimed ignorance.”
In a related development, Governor Bago ordered the immediate shutdown of all schools across the state.
He gave the order shortly after the security meeting with heads of security agencies at Government House.
The governor said: “All missionary, Islamic schools and Federal Government Colleges should be shut down until further notice.
“All tertiary institutions in Niger North Senatorial District and other vulnerable areas in Niger East Senatorial District are to be closed down as well.”
On the number of abducted victims, the governor said: “The Department of State Service, Nigeria Police and other security agencies are working round the clock in carrying out a headcount of the kidnapped students in order to ascertain the actual figure.”
In Taraba, the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Augustina Godwin, noted that the state has observed that boarding students are targets of bandits and outlaws following the abduction in Kebbi and Niger.
“In view of the unhealthy situation in the country, the governor of Taraba State, Dr Agbu Kefas has directed for the suspension of boarding (i.e., all schools should operate as day schools for the moment) in both private and public secondary schools in the state with immediate effect,” she stated.
Also, Yobe State government, yesterday, directed the closure of all boarding secondary schools in the state following the outcome of a security meeting between Governor Mai Mala Buni and the state’s Security Chiefs.
Director General of Press and Media Affairs to the governor, Mohammed Mamman, in a statement, said: “A notice signed by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Bukar Aji Bukar, directed immediate closure of all secondary schools pending improvement in the situation.
