Pope Urges Immediate Release After 50 Nigerian Students Escape Kidnapping
Fifty of the 303 students abducted from a Catholic school in Niger state, north-central Nigeria, have escaped captivity and returned to their families, authorities said Sunday, as Pope Leo XIV called for the immediate…
Fifty of the 303 students abducted from a Catholic school in Niger state, north-central Nigeria, have escaped captivity and returned to their families, authorities said Sunday, as Pope Leo XIV called for the immediate release of the remaining hostages.
According to The Associated Press, the students, aged 10 to 18, escaped individually between Friday and Saturday, according to Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger state and proprietor of St. Mary’s School.
“We were able to ascertain this when we decided to contact and visit some parents,” Yohanna said. A total of 253 students and 12 teachers are still being held.
The attack occurred on Friday when gunmen targeted the remote Catholic school in the Papiri community, seizing children and staff. Authorities have not identified the perpetrators or shared updates on rescue efforts.
The school is located near a major road linking Yelwa and Mokwa, a region frequently used by armed gangs operating across forested areas.