50 schoolchildren escape captivity in Nigeria, greater than 200 nonetheless held : NPR

ABUJA, Nigeria — Fifty of the 303 schoolchildren kidnapped from a Catholic faculty in north-central Nigeria’s Niger state have escaped captivity and at the moment are with their households, the varsity authority stated Sunday, bringing aid to some distraught households after one of many largest faculty abductions in Nigeria’s historical past.

The schoolchildren, aged between 10 and 18, escaped individually between Friday and Saturday, in accordance with the Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Christian Affiliation of Nigeria in Niger state and the proprietor of the varsity. A complete of 253 schoolchildren and 12 lecturers are nonetheless held by the abductors, he stated in an announcement.

“We have been in a position to confirm this after we determined to contact and go to some dad and mom,” Yohanna stated.

The pupils and college students have been seized along with their lecturers by gunmen who attacked the St. Mary’s Faculty, a Catholic establishment in Niger state’s distant Papiri group, on Friday. No group has but claimed accountability for the abductions and authorities have stated tactical squads have been deployed alongside native hunters to rescue the youngsters.

It was not instantly clear the place the Niger state youngsters have been being held or how they managed to return residence. Nigeria’s navy and police didn’t instantly reply to an Related Press inquiry.

“As a lot as we obtain the return of those 50 youngsters that escaped with some sigh of aid, I urge you all to proceed in your prayers for the rescue and secure return of the remaining victims,” the Yohanna stated.

The Niger state assault occurred 4 days after 25 schoolchildren have been seized in related circumstances in neighboring Kebbi state’s Maga city, which is 170 kilometers (106 miles) away.

Each states are in a northern area of Nigeria the place dozens of armed gangs have used kidnapping for ransom as a method of dominating distant communities with little authorities and safety presence.

Satellite tv for pc picture exhibits that the Niger state faculty compound is connected to an adjoining main faculty, with greater than 50 classroom and dormitory buildings. It is situated close to a significant highway linking the cities of Yelwa and Mokwa.

Faculty kidnappings have come to outline insecurity in Africa’s most populous nation, and armed gangs typically see colleges as “strategic” targets to attract extra consideration.

Niger state hurriedly closed down all colleges after Friday’s assault, whereas some federal faculties in battle hotspots throughout the area have been additionally closed by the Nigerian authorities.