At least 50 pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Secondary and Primary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, have escaped from their captors.
Armed men had stormed the school in the early hours of Friday, shooting a security guard and abducting more than 200 pupils as well as 13 teaching and non-teaching staff.
In his initial account, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State and proprietor of the school, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, said 215 students and 12 staff were taken during the attack.
However, in a fresh update on Saturday, he disclosed that 88 additional pupils could not be accounted for, raising concerns about the actual number of victims.
A statement issued on Sunday by his aide, Daniel Atori, confirmed that 50 pupils escaped on Saturday and have since been reunited with their families.
“This is to notify the public that as of Sunday, 23rd November 2025, we have received some good news as fifty pupils escaped and have reunited with their parents,” the statement said.
Rev. Yohanna explained that the school operates both boarding and day sessions. According to him, the primary section has 430 pupils, comprising 377 boarders and 53 day students.
Providing updated figures, he said:
“Aside from the 50 pupils who escaped and 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.”
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
