By Ayomide Otitoju
Fifty of the more than 300 students abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, Niger State, have escaped and reunited with their parents, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) announced on Sunday.
The escapes occurred between Friday and Saturday, according to Daniel Atori, media aide to CAN Chairman in Niger State, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, who is also the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese. “We have received some good news as fifty pupils escaped and have reunited with their parents,” Atori said.
A verification exercise by the diocese revealed that out of the 430 pupils in the primary section, 377 are boarders and 53 non-boarders. Following the escapes, 141 students were confirmed to have remained in the school at the time of the attack. In total, 236 pupils, three children of staff, and 14 secondary students remain with the abductors, alongside 12 staff members.
Bishop Yohanna urged continued prayers for the safe return of the remaining victims. “As much as we receive the return of these 50 children with some sigh of relief, I urge you all to continue in your prayers for the rescue and safe return of the remaining victims,” he said.
The abductions occurred last Friday when gunmen invaded the school in the Agwarra Local Government Area. Initial reports suggested 227 people were abducted, but CAN confirmed the total number of victims at 315, including 303 students and 12 teachers.
Yohanna dismissed claims that the school received prior warnings from the government or security agencies, describing such reports as “propaganda” aimed at shifting blame. He clarified that the school is owned by the Catholic Diocese, not by any individual, and refuted allegations that the school was shut down or that any nuns traveled to Abuja regarding the incident.
The diocese released the names of the escaped students and reaffirmed its commitment to working with security agencies and community leaders to secure the release of the remaining victims.
