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Fifty of the 303 students abducted from a Catholic school in Nigeria have successfully escaped and reunited with their families, officials confirmed on Sunday. This development comes in the wake of an attack that has led to the closure of schools across Niger state.
The escapees, aged between 10 and 18, managed to flee individually over the course of Friday and Saturday, as reported by Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger state, who also oversees the school.
Despite this positive news, 253 students and 12 teachers from St. Mary’s School remain in captivity. Yohanna stated, “We were able to confirm these numbers after contacting and visiting some of the parents.”
Authorities have not disclosed further information regarding the escape methods or the current whereabouts of the remaining hostages.
A photograph provided by the Christian Association of Nigeria showcases the dormitories of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in the Papiri community, capturing the aftermath of the abduction on Friday, November 21, 2025. (Photo courtesy of the Christian Association of Nigeria via AP)
Pope Leo XIV called for the immediate release of the children and school staff, saying at the end of a Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday that he was “deeply saddened” by the incident.
“I feel great sorrow, especially for the many girls and boys who have been abducted and for their anguished families,” the pontiff said. “I make a heartfelt appeal for the immediate release of the hostages and urge the competent authorities to take appropriate and timely decisions to ensure their release.”
In this photo released by the Christian Association of Nigeria, a man walks past belongings at the St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School after gunmen abducted children and staff in Papiri community, Nigeria, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (Christian Association of Nigeria via AP)
No group has come forward to claim responsibility for the attack, The Associated Press reported. The outlet added that authorities said tactical squads and local hunters were working to rescue the kidnapped children.
Niger State quickly shut down all schools after Friday’s attack, while the Nigerian government also closed several federal colleges in conflict-prone areas across the region.
The attack at St. Mary’s came just four days after armed men kidnapped 25 girls from a boarding school in Kebbi State, killing at least one staff member. The search for the missing girls is ongoing.
This photo released by the Christian Association of Nigeria shows the dormitories of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School after gunmen abducted children and staff in Papiri community in Nigeria, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (Christian Association of Nigeria via AP)
Meanwhile, 38 worshippers kidnapped during a deadly church attack in central Nigeria’s Kwara State have been freed, Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said Sunday. Gunmen had attacked the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku town on Tuesday, killing two and taking others hostage. President Bola Tinubu credited “the efforts of security agencies” for securing their release but offered no further details.
Nigeria has seen a series of attacks on Christians and their institutions, prompting President Donald Trump to declare the West African nation a “country of particular concern.” However, the Nigerian government has disputed the U.S.’s claims.
“I’m really angry about it,” the president told Fox News Radio on Friday. “What’s happening in Nigeria is a disgrace.”