Niger Abduction: CAN Confirms Escape Of 50 Students
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, said 50 students abducted from St Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara LGA, have escaped from captivity.
The chairman of the Niger State chapter of CAN, Reverend Dauwa Yohanna, who is also the Catholic bishop of Kontagora diocese, confirmed this in a statement on Sunday.
Yojana said the pupils regained freedom between Friday and Saturday and we’re “quietly reunited with their families”.
He added that the pupils who escaped were unable to return to the school immediately, but were traced after officials contacted and visited some parents.
“The pupils escaped between Friday and Saturday and have reunited with their parents as they could not return to the school after they escaped,” the statement reads.
“We were able to ascertain this when we decided to contact and visit some parents. Note that, in the primary section out of the total number of 430 pupils we have in the school, 377 of them are boarders and the remaining 53 others are non-boarders.
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“Currently, aside from the 50 pupils that escaped and have returned home, we have 141 pupils who were not carried away.,” it added.
The statement further explained that as it stands now, the school has 236 pupils, 3 children belonging to staff of the school and14 Secondary students, mounting to a total of 253 children including 12 members of staff with the abductors.
In a separate document signed by the Diocesan Secretary, Rev Fr. Jatau Joseph, the school listed the 50 pupils who have returned home as follows:
- 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
Yohanna further appealed for continued prayers and calm as efforts to secure the release of the remaining abductees continue.
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“We urge everyone to remain calm and prayerful as we collaborate with security agencies, community leaders, and government authorities to ensure the safe and swift return of all abductees,” he added.
CAN had announced that 303 students and 12 teachers were abducted during the attack by suspected terrorists.
The attack came days after Kwara State Police Command confirmed a deadly attack in Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area of the State, where armed bandits killed two people, injured one during coordinated raids and abducted 38 worshipers.
Prior to the Kwara attack, gunmen invaded a secondary school in Kebbi State, abducted 25 girls and killed the vice principal of the school.
Nigeria has witnessed similar attacks in the past, including the 2014 abduction of nearly 300 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram terrorists.
