By Adenike Lawal
Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, has described the partial release of abducted schoolchildren in Niger State as a mix of relief and sorrow.
While 100 students have been rescued, 165 remain missing, leaving families in anguish.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Bishop Yohanna urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts until all the children are accounted for.
“We are thankful, yet weighed down,” he said. “We rejoice that 100 children are back, but we are deeply saddened that 165 remain in captivity.”
He commended authorities for the initial rescue but stressed that the momentum must continue.
Addressing anxious parents, he called for patience and faith, assuring them that their children will also return.
“Just as others have been reunited, theirs will also come home,” he said.
The kidnapping at St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri involved 315 people, including 303 students and 12 teachers.
While 50 students escaped initially, Sunday’s rescue reduced the number still in captivity to 165.
