Bishop Lists Names of Escaped Pupils
By Wellington Jopelo
Not fewer than fifty pupils who were kidnapped from St. Mary Private Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State have found their way back home after escaping from their captors.
The joyful news was confirmed on Sunday by the Niger State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Bishop of the Kontagora Diocese, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, through a statement released by his media aide, Daniel Atori.
According to him, “as of Sunday, 23rd November 2025, we received some good news as fifty (50) pupils escaped and have reunited with their parents.”
Despite this relief, a large number of students and staff are still being held. Church officials disclosed that 236 pupils remain in captivity, including three children of staff and 14 secondary school students, bringing the total number of those still missing to 253 children and 12 staff members. Bishop Yohanna urged the public to remain prayerful, adding that the return of the remaining victims is the priority. “As much as we receive the return of these 50 children with some sigh of relief, I urge everyone to continue in prayers for the rescue and safe return of the remaining victims,” he said.
A separate document issued by the Diocesan Secretary, Rev. Fr. Jatau Joseph, listed the names of the 50 pupils who made it back home. They are:
- 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
The mass abduction, which affected a total of 303 pupils and staff, forced the Niger State Government to shut down schools across the state on Saturday as a safety measure.