50 of 303 Students Escape Niger State School Kidnapping; 265 Still Held

Fifty of the 303 pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic boarding school in Niger state have escaped and returned to their families, school authorities said Sunday. The students — aged roughly 10 to 18 — made their way home individually between Friday and Saturday, offering some relief to families while hundreds remain in captivity.

Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger state and proprietor of the school, said in a statement that 253 students and 12 teachers are still being held by the kidnappers. He said the school learned about the escapes after contacting and visiting some parents.

Attack and search efforts

Gunmen stormed the remote St. Mary’s School in the Papiri community on Friday, seizing pupils and teachers from the compound. Authorities have deployed tactical police units and mobilized local vigilante groups to search for the captors and recover those still missing. No group has publicly claimed responsibility, and security services have not disclosed the captors’ location.

Reactions and wider context

The Pope expressed deep sorrow over the kidnappings during Mass at St. Peter’s Square and appealed for the immediate release of the hostages. President Bola Tinubu welcomed the return of those who escaped and vowed that his government “will not relent” until every hostage is freed. “Every Nigerian, in every state, has the right to safety — and under my watch, we will secure this nation and protect our people,” he said.

Security analysts note the incident fits a broader pattern in northern Nigeria, where armed gangs frequently use mass kidnappings for ransom to exert control over isolated communities with limited security presence. Confidence McHarry, a security analyst at Lagos-based SBM Intelligence, said the persistence of attacks is driven in part by the absence of meaningful consequences for perpetrators.

Authorities ordered the closure of all schools across Niger state following the attack. The incident also follows a separate abduction earlier in the week in neighbouring Kebbi state, where 25 children were seized. Satellite imagery shows the Niger state school compound adjoins a primary school and includes more than 50 classrooms and dormitories along a major road linking nearby towns.

Families and community impact

Relatives and community members described shock and fear after the raid. One parent said the attack “took everybody by surprise,” while another relative pleaded simply: “I just want them to go home.” As searches continue, schoolchildren and families in the region remain anxious and the broader community has been left deeply shaken.

The situation remains fluid. Officials and security forces are continuing rescue operations, and community leaders have called for prayers and coordinated action to bring all captives back safely.