No fewer than 50 students of St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara LGA of Niger State, abducted last Friday, have escaped from their captors. A total of 315 students and pupils were initially taken from their hostels and moved to an unknown location.
Their escape came as 38 worshippers abducted at a CAC church in Eruke, Kwara State, also regained freedom.
President Bola Tinubu expressed joy over both developments, saying he was closely monitoring the situation and receiving frontline updates from troops. Pope Leo XIV has also called for the release of the remaining abducted students.
In a statement, Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, Chairman of the Niger State chapter of CAN and Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, said the pupils escaped between Friday and Saturday and quietly reunited with their families.
According to him, officials confirmed the escape after reaching out to parents, since the children did not return to the school immediately. He explained that St. Mary’s has 430 pupils in the primary section, 377 of them boarders. Aside from the 50 who escaped, 141 pupils were not abducted.
Yohanna added that 236 pupils, 3 staff children, 14 secondary students making 253 children total along with 12 staff members are still with the abductors. While expressing relief over the escapees, he urged continued prayers for the safe return of those still held. He appealed for calm and support as security agencies, community leaders, and government authorities work to secure their release.