Religion
CAN Releases New Data, Claims 315 Students, Teachers Abducted In Niger
The Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has updated the number of persons abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwarra LGA, increasing the total from 227 to 315.
The updated tally, released in a fresh statement on Friday by CAN Chairman and Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Bulus Yohanna, followed what he described as a “thorough verification exercise and final census”.
Gunmen had invaded the school between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on November 21, whisking away dozens of pupils, students and teachers during the midnight attack.
Yohanna said the revised figure was reached after families and the school traced students who were earlier believed to have escaped.
“After leaving the school, we made calls and enquiries on those we initially thought had escaped, only to discover that 88 more students were captured after trying to flee,” he said.
According to CAN, the school has a total population of 629 learners — 430 in the primary and 199 in the secondary section.
In a statement issued by Daniel Atori, spokesperson to Bishop Yohanna, CAN dismissed reports that the school ignored prior warnings from government officials or security agencies.
“We did not receive any circular or warning. In 2022, when there were rumours of security challenges, we shut down immediately without waiting for any government directive,” the bishop stated.
He described the circulating reports as “propaganda” aimed at shifting responsibility away from those tasked with securing the region.
Yohanna also debunked claims that the reverend sisters travelled to Abuja in connection with the incident.
“There is no truth in that report. Let those making these allegations provide evidence,” he said
The bishop assured parents and the wider public that CAN was working closely with the government and security agencies to secure the safe release of all abductees.
“We call on everyone to remain calm and prayerful as we continue to collaborate with all relevant authorities for a quick and safe return of our children and teachers,” he added.
Religion
Pastor Chris Reportedly Fills Up Fifteen Stadiums in One Night at the Night of Bliss
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome’s Night of Bliss on November 21, 2025 has quickly become one of the most talked-about Christian events in Nigeria. The programme was held simultaneously across the country, originally promoted as a ten-stadium event, but several reports and social media posts now claim the gatherings took place in fifteen stadiums nationwide.
Videos, photos and livestreams show massive turnouts across multiple cities, including Benin City, Port Harcourt, Lokoja, Asaba, Jalingo, Eket and others. Reports say all the stadiums involved were filled, though independent verification of exact attendance figures remains limited. What is clear from public footage is that each location recorded huge numbers of worshippers who gathered through the night for prayer, teaching and praise.
Even without confirmed capacity counts, coordinating ten to fifteen major gatherings across different states at the same time is a remarkable accomplishment. The atmosphere in each venue appeared vibrant and unified, with many participants describing the night as spiritually impactful.
For many believers, the Night of Bliss stands out as a moment of nationwide connection, sweeping attendance and extraordinary scale.
Have you ever witnessed anything like this?
Religion
Every member of this church should be awake one hour every night — Bishop Oyedepo reveals how to battle alleged gen0cide of Christians in Nigerians
Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, David Oyedepo, has warned Christians over the escalating insecurity in Nigeria, following a spate of recent @ttacks on churches that resulted in multiple d3aths and abductions, saying Christians must take decisive action.
The bishop’s warning comes as international concern mounts, with Italy becoming the second G7 nation, after the United States, to openly demand an immediate end to the targeted k!llings of Christians in Nigeria.
Speaking at a Pre-Shiloh Encounter Church Service, Bishop Oyedepo expressed deep concern over the nation’s current situation.
“Developments in the past two weeks, particularly in Nigeria, are worrisome to say the least. There is need for a prompt response in prayers to stop the k!llings once and for all. You can’t trade people’s lives for your comfort.”
“All the innocent bloo.d shared is speaking vengeance… all the perpetrators will pay with their lives.”
The cleric urged church members to launch into “midnight raid (prayers)”.
“Every member of this church should be awake one hour every day for one week before v!olence descends to an@rchy in Nigeria…”
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Religion
‘Children Were Crying’ – St Mary’s Principal Recounts Midnight Raid As More Details Emerge
More details have surfaced regarding the abduction of students and staff of St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara LGA of Niger State, with the school principal, Rev. Sr. Felicia Gyang, giving a chilling account of how the attackers stormed the premises.
In a video clip dated November 21 and obtained by Sunday Punch, Gyang narrated how the terrorists forced their way into the school in the early hours of the morning while terrified children screamed for help.
According to her, the armed men arrived shortly after midnight, using motorcycles and vehicles to break through successive gates.
“The unfortunate incident happened past 12 when we heard noise, motorbikes, and the sound of cars. Before we knew it, there were serious bangs on different gates in the compound,” she recounted.
She said the sisters quickly gathered to observe the commotion.
She stated, “We got up, and I called my other sisters for us to peep out. When we peeped, we heard noise and children were crying.”
Gyang explained that in the confusion, locating keys to some gates became difficult, leaving her no choice but to exit through an alternative route to assess the situation.
“Apparently, when we were there trying to see what would happen with those that were out of danger at that moment, we could hear the sound of the other bus,” she said, referring to the vehicle used by the attackers.
She added that distress calls echoed from various parts of the compound as the bandits advanced.
The principal revealed that multiple attempts to reach security personnel during the attack were unsuccessful.
She added, “At the end, we heard the security man at the main gate rowing. We couldn’t hear what he was saying, but after some time, we heard them driving off on bikes.
“One of us was making calls to see who we could call for help. We tried to call places around where we could get help. We tried the Divisional Police Officer, too, but we couldn’t get through.”
Asked whether the school had received any prior alerts from security agencies, Gyang dismissed the claims.
“No, we didn’t receive,” she said.
She also denied suggestions that the school had earlier been advised to shut down over security concerns.
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