Fifty pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger State, have escaped captivity, offering a glimmer of hope in one of Nigeria’s largest school abductions in recent years.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed the escape, noting that the pupils fled between Friday and Saturday and reunited with their families.
Despite the breakthrough, 236 pupils—including three children of school staff—and 17 adults remain in captivity, bringing the total still missing to 253.
The updated figures emerged after a verification exercise involving parents, community leaders, and school authorities, contradicting earlier reports that significantly underestimated the number of abducted students.
The mass kidnapping triggered sweeping school closures across Niger and Kebbi States, with the Federal Government ordering 47 Unity Colleges nationwide to shut down amid fears of coordinated attacks on educational institutions.
In Kebbi, troops deployed to protect Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, were reportedly withdrawn less than an hour before bandits struck. The Defence Headquarters has opened an investigation.
CAN called for calm but urged intensified rescue efforts. “Every child must return home,” the Niger State CAN Chairman, Bishop Bulus Yohanna, said.
