Fifty schoolchildren out of the 303 who were kidnapped from a Catholic school in north-central Nigeria’s Niger state have successfully escaped and reunited with their families, the school officials confirmed on Sunday. The children, ranging from 10 to 18 years old, managed to flee individually between Friday and Saturday, as stated by Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger state and the school’s owner. Presently, 253 students and 12 teachers remain in captivity with the abductors.
The abduction occurred at St. Mary’s School in the remote Papiri community of Niger state, where armed assailants took the students and teachers by force. Despite the incident, no group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. Authorities have mobilized tactical units and local hunters to conduct rescue operations for the remaining hostages.
Although the whereabouts of the abducted children are unknown and how the escapees made it home remains unclear, the return of the 50 escaped children has brought some relief to the community. The military and police in Nigeria are yet to provide further details in response to inquiries.
The school raid in Niger state transpired shortly after a similar event in the neighboring Kebbi state, where 25 schoolchildren were also kidnapped. Both states are located in the northern region of Nigeria, known for the prevalence of armed gangs using abduction for ransom to exert control over remote areas lacking sufficient government security.
Niger state swiftly closed down all educational institutions following the attack, emphasizing the heightened insecurity in the region. School abductions have become emblematic of the instability in Nigeria, with criminal groups targeting educational facilities as a means to amplify their demands.
