Nigeria School Captivity Escape: 50 Students Freed, Others Remain Held
Fifty Schoolchildren Escape Abduction in Niger State, Nigeria
Table of Contents
Updated November 23, 2023, 4:14 PM EST
Initial Abduction and Escape
Fifty of the 303 schoolchildren initially abducted from St. Mary’s School in Niger state, north-central Nigeria, have escaped captivity and reunited with their families, according to school authorities. The abductions occurred on Friday, November 22, 2023, when gunmen attacked the Catholic institution in the remote Papiri community.
The escaped students, aged between 10 and 18, returned individually between Friday and Saturday, as confirmed by the Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger state and proprietor of the school.
Remaining captives and Rescue Efforts
As of Sunday, November 23, 2023, a total of 253 schoolchildren and 12 teachers remain in the custody of the kidnappers, according to Yohanna’s statement. Authorities have deployed tactical squads and are working alongside local hunters to secure the release of those still held.
The location where the children were being held and the details of how the fifty students managed to escape remain unclear.Nigeria’s military and police have not yet responded to inquiries from the associated Press regarding the situation.
Lack of Claim of Obligation
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the abductions at St. Mary’s School. The incident underscores the ongoing security challenges in Nigeria,particularly in the north-central region.