MINNA, Niger State– In a glimmer of hope amid one of Nigeria’s largest school kidnappings in recent years, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) announced Sunday that 50 pupils from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, have escaped their captors and safely reunited with their parents.
“We have received some good news as fifty pupils escaped and have reunited with their parents,” CAN stated, noting the escapes occurred between Friday and Saturday following the brazen early-morning raid on November 21.
The children, aged 10 to 18 and comprising both boys and girls, fled during the chaos of the attack, which CAN now confirms involved the abduction of 303 students and 12 teachers—far exceeding initial reports of over 200 victims.
The assault, attributed to suspected armed bandits wielding sophisticated weapons, targeted the school’s hostels around 2:00 a.m., also leaving a security guard shot and abducted.
Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of CAN’s Niger State chapter, who visited the site post-verification, described the incident as a “dastardly act” and urged prayers for the remaining captives, including the injured guard.
“The children who were able to escape have scattered… and the only information we are getting is that the attackers are still moving with the remaining children into the bush,” Yohanna added earlier, highlighting the fluid nature of the crisis.
Niger State Police Command, led by Commissioner Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, has mobilized tactical units, military personnel, and local hunters to scour surrounding forests for the 253 still missing students and staff.
Authorities expressed optimism for swift rescues.
The attack, the second major school abduction this month after 25 girls were seized in neighboring Kebbi State’s Maga town on November 17 (with one later escaping), has ignited national fury and international scrutiny.
In response, the Federal Government shuttered 41 northern Unity Colleges on Friday, and Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago declared a Christmas holiday for all schools statewide.
President Bola Tinubu postponed his G20 summit attendance to prioritize the crisis, vowing intensified operations.
CAN and community leaders called for bolstered school security nationwide, decrying the “unacceptable” toll on the vulnerable. As rescue teams press on, the escapes offer a tentative victory, but the fate of the rest hangs in the balance, underscoring Nigeria’s deepening struggle with banditry and child safety.
