Fifty of the 303 pupils abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State in central Nigeria have escaped captivity and returned to their families, the school administration said. Pope Leo XIV called for the immediate release of those still being held hostage.
Details of the escapes
Pupils aged between 10 and 18 fled individually between Friday and Saturday, Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, head of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger State and the owner of the school, said.
A total of 253 pupils and 12 teachers remain with the kidnappers. The information was confirmed after contact with parents and visits to some families.
Other abductions
Meanwhile, 38 worshippers who were abducted during a deadly attack on a church in the central state of Kwara have been released, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazak said.
Armed men attacked the Christ Apostolic Church in the town of Eruku in Kwara State on Tuesday, killing two people and taking others hostage. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu attributed the release of the worshippers to "efforts by security forces," without providing details.
Attack on the school
Pupils from Niger State and their teachers were seized by armed men who attacked St. Mary's – a Catholic school in the remote community of Papiri in Niger State – on Friday.
No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction. Nigerian authorities have not provided information about rescue operations. It is unclear where the children are being held and how some of them managed to return home.
The school is located near the main road linking the towns of Yelwa and Mokwa, in a region where armed gangs often operate from large forests that connect various states and conflict hotspots.
Pope’s appeal
Pope Leo XIV urged the immediate release of the pupils and school staff. At the end of Mass in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, he said he was "deeply saddened" by the incident.
"I feel great pain, especially for the many girls and boys who were abducted, and for their distressed families. I make a heartfelt appeal for the immediate release of the hostages and I call on the competent authorities to take appropriate and timely decisions"
– the pontiff said.
Context of the kidnappings
The kidnapping of pupils has become a symbol of danger in Africa's most populous country. Armed gangs often view schools as "strategic" targets to attract attention. At least 1,500 pupils have been kidnapped in Nigeria since the infamous abduction of schoolgirls from Chibok more than a decade ago. Many children were freed only after ransom payments.
The attack in Niger State came four days after 25 pupils were abducted under similar circumstances in the nearby town of Maga in Kebbi State, which is about 170 kilometres away.
Both states are located in northern Nigeria, where dozens of armed gangs use kidnappings for ransom as a means to dominate remote communities with minimal government and security presence.
Government reaction
Niger State urgently closed all schools after Friday's attack. The Nigerian government also closed some federal colleges in conflict hotspots across the region.
President Tinubu said his government will not relent until every hostage is freed.
