Fifty schoolchildren out of the 303 who were abducted from a Catholic school in north-central Nigeria’s Niger state have managed to escape and reunite with their families, announced the school authorities on Sunday. This development brings some relief to families affected by one of the largest school abductions in Nigeria’s history.
The children, ranging from 10 to 18 years old, fled individually between Friday and Saturday, as reported by Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger state and the school’s owner. Currently, 253 students and 12 teachers remain in captivity with the abductors, according to a statement made by Yohanna.
The abduction took place when gunmen attacked St. Mary’s School in the remote Papiri community of Niger state, kidnapping the students and teachers. No group has taken responsibility for the abductions, and authorities have deployed tactical squads and local hunters to rescue the remaining captives.
While it is unclear where the abducted children are being held and how the escapees made their way back home, the military and police in Nigeria have not yet responded to inquiries. Yohanna urged continued prayers for the safe rescue of the remaining victims.
The incident in Niger state occurred shortly after a similar abduction of 25 schoolchildren in Maga town, Kebbi state, just 170 kilometers away. Both states are situated in a northern region of Nigeria plagued by armed gangs using kidnapping for ransom to exert control over communities with limited government presence.
Satellite imagery reveals that the school compound in Niger state is connected to a primary school, featuring over 50 classroom and dormitory buildings. The location is near a major road linking Yelwa and Mokwa towns. School kidnappings have become symbolic of insecurity in Nigeria, with armed groups targeting schools to gain attention.
Following the attack, Niger state promptly shut down all schools, while the Nigerian government closed federal colleges in conflict-prone areas across the region.