By Oluwatoyin Makinde
At least fifty pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Secondary and Primary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State have escaped from captivity.
Armed men invaded the school in the early hours of Friday, shooting a security guard and abducting more than 200 pupils and students, including 13 teaching and non-teaching staff.
Niger State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna — who is also proprietor of the school — initially said 215 students and 12 staff members were abducted. By Saturday, he reported that 88 additional students were unaccounted for.
However, in a statement issued on Sunday by his aide, Daniel Atori, he confirmed that 50 pupils escaped on Saturday and had 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 (50) pupils escaped and have reunited with their parents,” the statement read.
Rev. Yohanna explained that the school runs both boarding and day sessions. The primary section has 430 pupils, with 377 boarders and 53 day pupils.
Providing further breakdown, he 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 intensifying efforts to rescue the remaining victims.
