FROM SAMSON ALFA, MINNA
Over 200 parents of the kidnapped students of St Mary’s Catholic School Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State protested the continued captivity of the remaining students and teachers.
AljazirahNigeria gathered that the parents assembled in the school at the weekend to show their anger over the lackadaisical attitude of the governor.
Our correspondent reports that the abduction of 265 children and teachers of St Mary’s Primary and Secondary School Papiri entered its eight day.
The parents decided to converged as requested by the governor to register their names and that of their children who have been in captivity for over a week. They also lamented government’s neglect.
AljazirahNigeria had earlier reported that 12 teachers, 303 pupils and students of the school were abducted on Friday, November 21, out of which 50 escaped.
Some of the parents carried placards with various inscriptions such as ‘Bring Back Our Girls’, “Our Girls and Teachers are still in captivity’, ‘We need security in Agwara’, ‘Is education a Crime’? They lamented that the state government is yet to visit or send a representative to sympathise with the families.
According to the Catholic Diocesan Director of Communication, Reverend Father Stephen Okafor, the exercise became very important, as government had requested for it.
He said with the registration and the number of parents that turned up, we hope that the negative speculations will end. Some of these parents traveled from a far distance to get here.
Also, a priest, Father Linus Arege told our correspondent that the registration which started on 12pm on Monday till Friday showed that 215 parents and guardians had already registered, adding that it was duly supervised and signed by a representative of Agwara Local Government Area and the diocese.
In an interview, a parent who gave his name as Dimas Joseph Mauhuta, whose son Julius Dimas (JSS 2) is among those abducted, blamed government for saying the children were not abducted.
According to him, “the truth is that my child and others were abducted. Government should come to our aid instead of saying what is not true.”
Also a teacher whose husband and child were also abducted, Mrs Martha Matthias explained her ordeal.
Another parent, Emmanuel Ejeh whose son, Mathias was abducted, said his other two children graduated from the school and it had never experienced such an attack in the past.
In his response, the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and Proprietor of the school, Most Reverend Bulus Yohanna expressed hope that with the registration, the abductees will regain their freedom very soon.
According to him, “it is eight days now since their abduction, we have not heard anything yet. We are still hopeful of their return and we are prayerful”.
The bishop disclosed that the school serves over 50 communities within and outside Agwara Local Government Area and parents have come to register their names as directed by Governor Umaru Bago. “It was not an easy task as most of them had to travel long distance, some on motorcycles.”
Bishop Yohanna called on well meaning Nigerians and the world at large to continue in their prayers for the rescue and safe return of the remaining victims.
The Principal of the school, Reverend Sister Felicia Gyam, while dispelling claims from some quarters that there was a prior warning, said, “there was nothing like that, whoever says so should bring evidence. Neither was there a circular nor a verbal notification.”
