Stephen Samuel, a 13-year-old student who escaped after bandits abducted several school children and teachers from St Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area, has shared his ordeal, saying it felt like school had ended for him.
Samuel, speaking in an interview with Reuters, said the gunmen struck at night while the students were asleep.
“When the gunmen came, we were sleeping. They woke us up, told us to lie down, tied our hands, and then forced us to stand,” he recounted. “Before taking us away, they entered the office and carried out the Mary statue.”
As the captives were being moved, one of the attackers’ motorcycles broke down. It was in that moment the student saw a chance to escape.
“I ran. He didn’t see me. I didn’t even know where I was going—I just kept running,” he said.
He eventually encountered a neighbour working on his farm. The man recognized him, offered him clothes, and safely returned him home.
Now back with his family, the boy fears life may never return to normal.
“When the others come back, can we even go to school again? And if we do, which school will it be?” he asked quietly. “For me… it feels like school has ended.”
On November 21, armed men attacked the school and abducted 315 people — including 303 students and 12 teachers.
On Sunday, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger state said fifty students abducted from the school have escaped from captivity.
The association noted the pupils regained freedom between Friday and Saturday and “quietly reunited with their families”.
Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Niger state chapter of CAN and Catholic bishop of Kontagora diocese, said the pupils who escaped were unable to return to the school immediately, but were traced after officials contacted and visited some parents.
According to the diocese, 265 individuals, comprising 239 nursery and primary pupils, 14 secondary students, and 12 staff members, remain in captivity.
In a fresh update, Yohanna said the diocese has yet to receive any communication from the kidnappers.
He also debunked claims by the Niger State Government that the school operated without proper clearance despite prior intelligence suggesting possible attacks.
He acknowledged that in 2021/2022, there were rumours of a potential attack and the diocese immediately shut down the school for five months, reinforced the perimeter fence, and added security personnel.
But he stressed that no warnings preceded the latest attack.
“If we could close the school for mere rumour back then, I see no reason why we would ignore an official warning now. This accusation came as a surprise,” he said.
The bishop confirmed that ongoing communication has been established with the Department of State Services (DSS) in Kontagora.
