Fifty Children Escape From Niger School Abductors As CAN Confirms 315 Taken

Fifty children who were among the hundreds abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Niger State, have successfully fled from their captors and returned to their families, according to a fresh update from the Christian Association of Nigeria.

The children escaped in two waves between Friday and Saturday, prompting CAN officials to begin contacting parents directly to verify their return. The confirmation followed visits to several homes, where families reported that their children had shown up on their own after wandering away from the abductors.

CAN explained that the primary section of the school has 430 pupils, including 377 boarders. After accounting for those who escaped and those who were never taken, authorities now say 236 pupils remain in captivity. They are being held alongside three children of staff members, 14 secondary school students, and 12 staff — a total of 253 people still missing.

Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, who oversees the school, urged residents to remain calm and prayerful, noting that the situation is still unfolding. He assured the public that church leaders are working closely with security agencies, community heads and government officials to secure the release of every remaining hostage.

The mass abduction happened on Friday when armed attackers overran the school. While early reports estimated 227 victims, a detailed verification carried out by CAN revealed that 315 people were actually taken — 303 students and 12 teachers.

The corrected figure emerged after parents who initially believed their children had escaped later returned to report them missing. CAN’s checks showed that 88 of those students were captured while attempting to flee during the chaos of the attack.