50 kidnapped Nigerian students escape mass abduction, officials say

A Christian organization in Nigeria reported Sunday that fifty abducted schoolchildren have successfully escaped captivity after armed gunmen seized more than 300 students and teachers from a Catholic educational institution in one of the country's largest mass kidnappings.

Mass Abduction and Escapes

The Christian Association of Nigeria announced that fifty pupils kidnapped from St. Mary's co-educational school in Niger state managed to escape their captors between Friday and Saturday. The children have since reunited with their parents, providing a measure of relief amid the ongoing crisis. The original abduction on Friday saw gunmen take 303 children and 12 teachers from the school facility.

Pattern of School Attacks

The incident represents the second major school kidnapping within days in northern Nigeria, following Monday's attack on a secondary school in neighboring Kebbi state where 25 girls were abducted. The escalating security crisis has prompted widespread school closures across multiple regions as authorities struggle to address the growing threat to educational institutions.

Scale of the Kidnapping

The abduction at St. Mary's school affected nearly half of the institution's total student population of 629, with victims ranging in age from eight to eighteen years old. The Nigerian government has not yet issued an official statement regarding the exact number of abducted individuals or commented on the escape of the fifty students.

Calls for Continued Efforts

Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, CAN chairman in Niger State, acknowledged the positive development while urging continued efforts to secure the release of the remaining captives. "As much as we receive the return of these 50 children that escaped with some sigh of relief, I urge you all to continue in your prayers for the rescue and safe return of the remaining victims," Yohanna stated.