Former Education Minister Dr. Oby Ezekwesili has raised alarm over 35 victims of the November 21 St. Mary’s School abduction in Niger State who remain unaccounted for in government statements, even as authorities celebrate the return of rescued students.
In a detailed breakdown posted on social media, Ezekwesili, co-founder of the #BringBackOurGirls movement, challenged the government’s claim that it had secured “the last group of abducted victims” when 130 schoolchildren and staff returned last month. According to her analysis of publicly available data, 315 people were originally abducted from St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger State, on November 21—303 pupils and students plus 12 teachers, as confirmed by the Christian Association of Nigeria.
The returns have been documented as follows:
- 100 victims brought back by the Nigerian government on December 7
- 50 who escaped on their own shortly after the abduction
- 130 returned last month
By this count, 35 victims remain missing—yet government statements make no mention of them. “It therefore surprises me to read things like ‘the remaining 130 school children’ or ‘secured the release of the last group of abducted victims,'” Ezekwesili wrote. “Who and where are these 35 unaccounted victims that are not even once mentioned nor acknowledged in the statements made by Government Spokespersons?”
The former minister’s concerns extend beyond the immediate case to what she describes as a troubling pattern in how Nigerian authorities handle mass casualty incidents. “This lack of precision of Government on the number of victims has been a recurring issue since the abduction, killing and maiming of Nigerians became common in this country,” she stated. “It is a chilling culture of not dignifying citizens whether in life or at death.”
Ezekwesili pointed out that the public is rarely provided with names of victims in mass killings or abductions. Instead, media reports typically state “Hundreds of Nigerians killed or abducted” without specific identification. “This utmost disrespect of the Dead is a horrific culture that reflects badly on Nigeria and Nigerians. It makes the rest of the world look at us in wonderment,” she wrote.
The former education minister emphasized that proper documentation and identification of victims is not merely administrative—it represents fundamental respect for human dignity and life. “The dead must always be specifically identified and the correct number of victims accurately recorded,” Ezekwesili insisted. “We must do better as a people and demand for correction of this aberration, otherwise Governments and public officials will continue to hold the Nigerian life in utter contempt.” She called on the Nigerian government and the presidency to provide official clarification on the status of the 35 unaccounted victims, expressing concern that they may have been “morbidly forgotten” by authorities—much like the remaining Chibok Girls and Leah Sharibu, who were abducted years ago and remain in captivity.
Ezekwesili’s intervention highlights a persistent challenge in Nigeria’s handling of security incidents: the lack of comprehensive, accurate data on victims. This pattern has characterized numerous mass abductions and attacks across the country, making it difficult to track outcomes or hold authorities accountable. The St. Mary’s School abduction in Papiri was one of several mass kidnappings of students that have plagued Nigeria in recent years, particularly in the northern and central regions where armed groups frequently target schools.
While government officials have celebrated the return of rescued students as victories, Ezekwesili’s analysis suggests that declaring missions accomplished while victims remain unaccounted for may obscure ongoing tragedies and prevent families from getting answers about their loved ones. “Data speaks best to me. Always,” Ezekwesili began her statement—a reminder that behind every statistic are individual lives that deserve recognition, whether in rescue or in loss.
As of press time, neither the Nigerian government nor the presidency had responded to Ezekwesili’s request for clarification on the status of the 35 missing victims from the November 21 abduction.
