In a remarkable development that has brought relief to many families, fifty pupils who were among those abducted from St. Mary Private Primary and Secondary Schools in Niger State have managed to escape from their captors and reunite with their parents.
Official Confirmation of Escape
The Niger State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Bishop of the Kontagora Diocese, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, confirmed the positive development on Sunday, November 23, 2025. The bishop described the escape as a significant relief for both the affected families and the wider community in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area.
Through his media aide, Daniel Atori, Bishop Yohanna issued an official statement announcing: "This is to notify the public that as of Sunday, 23rd November 2025, we received some good news as fifty (50) pupils escaped and have reunited with their parents."
Hundreds Remain in Captivity
Despite this encouraging news, the situation remains dire for the majority of those taken during the mass abduction. Church officials confirmed that 253 children and 12 staff members are still being held by their abductors.
The breakdown of those still in captivity includes 236 pupils, three children of staff members, and 14 secondary school students. The bishop expressed deep concern about the large number of victims who remain missing and urged continued public support through prayers.
Complete List of Escaped Pupils
A separate document signed by the Diocesan Secretary, Rev Fr. Jatau Joseph, provided the full list of the fifty pupils who successfully returned home:
- Samson Bitrus
- Emmanuel Francis
- Amos Mathew
- Timothy Peter
- Ayuba Victor
- Bulus Emmanuel
- Bulus Samaila
- Caleb Hosea
- Catherine Emmanuel
- Christopher Ezekiel
- Dominic Daniel
- Dominic Elisha
- Elisha Harunna
- Elisha Yakubu
- Ezekiel Emmanuel
- Ezekiel Joel
- Ezekiel Pius
- Ezra James
- Friday Joel
- Gloria Jeremiah
- Godiya Mathew
- Iliya Philip
- Ishaya David
- Joseph Sunday
- Julius Paul
- Justina Adamu
- Keziah Musa
- Lawrence James
- Lawrence Yohanna
- Marcus Bulus
- Mariam Joshua
- Mathew Dauda
- Micah Luka
- Michael Jacob
- Musa Timothy
- Naomi Bulus
- Nicodemus Ibrahim
- Peter Jonathan
- Pricillia Peter
- Emmanuel Godwin
- Samaila Dauda
- Stephen Anthony
- Sunday Shedrack
- Veronica Iliya
- Victoria Ishaku
- Vincent Emmanuel
- Wisdom Fabian
- Yakubu Saminu
- Yunusa Musa
- Yusuf Sunday
Call for Continued Prayers and Support
Bishop Yohanna emphasized that while the return of the fifty children provides some relief, the situation is far from resolved. "As much as we receive the return of these 50 children with some sigh of relief, I urge everyone to continue in prayers for the rescue and safe return of the remaining victims," he stated.
The Christian Association of Nigeria has called on communities across the country to maintain their spiritual support for the safe release of those still missing. The incident, which involved the abduction of 303 pupils and staff members, has prompted the Niger State government to take precautionary measures, including closing schools across the state on Saturday.
The mass abduction from St. Mary Catholic School in Papiri, North West Nigeria, has drawn both national and international attention to the security challenges facing educational institutions in remote communities. The school has been recognized for its transformative role in the lives of the Kamberi people, making this incident particularly devastating for the local community.
