Fifty the 315 students of St. Mary’s Secondary and Primary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abducted on Friday, have escaped from captivity and returned home.
The Chairman of the Niger State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna announced this on Sunday in a statement signed by his aide, Daniel Atori.
On Friday, Novenber 21, bandits stormed the school in the early hours of the day, shooting a security guard before taking away hundreds of pupils, secondary school students, and members of staff.
The initial figures released by the CAN indicated that 215 students and 12 staff were abducted.
However, by Saturday, he announced that 88 more students were unaccounted for, raising the total number of abducted persons to 315.
“This is to notify the public that as of Sunday, 23rd November 2025, we have received some good news as 50 pupils escaped and have reunited with their parents,” the CAN chairman said in the statement.
Giving further details, Yohanna explained that the school operates both boarding and day systems.
He said the primary section has 430 pupils, comprising 377 boarders and 53 day pupils.
Yohanna said, “Currently, aside from the 50 pupils that escaped and have returned home, we have 141 pupils who were not taken.
“As it stands now, 236 pupils, three children belonging to staff members, 14 secondary school students, and 12 staff members remain with the abductors.”
Security agencies are said to have intensified search-and-rescue operations to recover the remaining victims.
Fifty of 315 abducted Niger pupils escape from captivity
