50 Niger State Schoolchildren Escape as Over 250 Remain Captive
Families Reunite with Escapees as Nigeria Faces Fresh Kidnapping Crisis
Fifty of the 303 schoolchildren abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State have escaped and returned to their families, according to the school authority. The children, aged between 10 and 18, fled separately between Friday and Saturday.
The Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger State and proprietor of the school, confirmed the development. He said 253 schoolchildren and 12 teachers remain in captivity.
“We were able to confirm the escapes after contacting several parents,” he said in a statement.
The abduction has renewed calls for stronger national action on school safety. Aisha Yesufu, rights activist and co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls Movement, said the nation should unite to end attacks on children.
“My first reaction was numbness and heartbreak. We should all stand together and say no one should harm our children,” she said.
In a separate development, 38 worshippers kidnapped during a deadly attack on the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, have regained their freedom. Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq announced the release in a statement.
Gunmen had attacked the church on Tuesday, killing two people before taking others hostage. President Bola Tinubu said the release of the worshippers followed the work of security agencies, though he gave no further details.
