By: Manoah Kikekon
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| ST. Mary's Catholic Secondary school |
In a dramatic turn of events, fifty students abducted from St. Mary’s Secondary and Primary School in Niger State have Allegedly escape their captors. The children, who were seized during a violent raid by bandits, found their way to freedom between Friday and Saturday, reuniting with their overwhelmed and relieved families.
The update was confirmed by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State. Bulus Yohanna, the state CAN chairman and proprietor of the Catholic school, released a statement verifying the escape. "This is to notify the public that as at Sunday, 23rd November, 2025, we have received some good news, as fifty pupils escaped and have reunited with their parents," the statement read.
The same statement delivered a sobering counterpoint: a total of 253 people remain in the hands of the bandits. This figure includes 236 primary pupils, 14 secondary students, three children of school staff, and 12 staff members themselves. Their continued captivity has cast a shadow of anxiety over the Papiri community in the Agwara Local Government Area.
The abduction began in the early hours of Friday when armed bandits stormed the school premises. The assailants shot the security guard on duty before herding the children and staff into captivity. In response, security agencies and local vigilante groups are now intensifying their efforts to locate and rescue the remaining hostages.
This incident at St. Mary’s School is the latest in a devastating wave of mass school kidnappings plaguing northern Nigeria. The persistent targeting of educational institutions has heightened national outrage and triggered renewed, urgent calls for the government to implement stronger security measures to protect students and teachers in vulnerable regions.