Fifty pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Secondary and Primary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, have escaped from captivity and returned safely to their parents.

The students were part of a larger group seized by gunmen during an attack on the school earlier in the week. According to local sources, the pupils managed to flee from their captors and made their way back home, where they have since been reunited with their families.

Security agencies are continuing operations to locate and rescue the remaining abducted students and staff still unaccounted for. The Niger State Government has yet to issue an official update on the total number of those rescued or still missing.

The incident has renewed concerns over rising attacks on schools across parts of the country and the urgent need for strengthened security measures to protect students and teachers.