A Christian advocacy group has confirmed that 50 children kidnapped from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, have regained their freedom, offering a rare moment of relief amid a wave of attacks targeting schools in northern Nigeria.
The pupils were part of the 303 students and 12 teachers seized on Friday when armed men stormed the Catholic-run boarding school.
Furthermore, the escape reportedly occurred in batches between late Friday and Saturday morning, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
CAN officials and as reported by Al Jazeera, AP News said the fleeing children reached safety after navigating through bush paths and hostile terrain. “These children showed incredible courage. Their escape is nothing short of miraculous,” a CAN representative said during a brief statement.
Meanwhile, security agencies have yet to give full details of the circumstances surrounding the escape.
However, military units, police formations, and local vigilante groups are continuing search-and-rescue operations to recover the remaining hostages still held by the attackers.
AFRIPOST reports that the abduction has once again reignited public concern over the growing trend of mass kidnappings in Nigeria’s northern region, especially targeting schools despite federal and state security efforts.
Families in Papiri and surrounding communities are still anxiously awaiting news about their missing children, while religious and civic leaders continue to appeal for coordinated intervention.
The attack adds to a troubling pattern of school raids that has unsettled the region and amplified calls for overhauling rural security architecture.