Fifty out of the 303 schoolchildren who were kidnapped from a Catholic school in north-central Nigeria’s Niger state have managed to escape and reunite with their families, according to the school authority. This development follows one of the largest school abductions in Nigeria’s history, where the children, aged between 10 and 18, fled individually between Friday and Saturday.
Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger state and the school’s proprietor, confirmed that 253 students and 12 teachers are still in captivity. Yohanna stated that the information about the escapees was verified through contact with parents.
The abduction took place at St. Mary’s School in the remote Papiri community, with unidentified gunmen seizing the students and teachers. While no group has claimed responsibility for the abductions, authorities have deployed tactical units and local hunters to rescue the remaining victims.
Although it remains unclear where the abducted children are being held and how the escapees made it back home, the military and police in Nigeria have yet to provide further details. Yohanna urged continued prayers for the safe rescue of the remaining victims despite the relief felt with the return of the escaped children.
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, located in Nigeria’s northern region, have experienced a surge in kidnapping incidents by armed gangs seeking ransom payments in areas with limited government presence.
Satellite imagery shows that the school in Niger state is adjacent to a primary school, comprising over 50 buildings for classrooms and dormitories. The school compound is situated near a major road connecting Yelwa and Mokwa towns, emphasizing its strategic location for criminal activities.
School kidnappings have become synonymous with insecurity in Nigeria, with armed groups targeting educational institutions to attract attention. Following the attack in Niger state, the authorities swiftly closed down all schools in the area, while federal colleges in conflict zones throughout the region were also shut down by the government.