Fifty of the 303 schoolchildren abducted from a Catholic institution in Niger state, Nigeria, have managed to escape and are back with their families, according to school officials. The announcement was made on Sunday as the Pope called for the urgent release of those still in captivity.
The children, aged between 10 and 18, escaped individually over the weekend, as confirmed by Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Niger state and the school’s proprietor. He noted that 253 students and 12 teachers remain held by their captors.
Yohanna revealed this information after reaching out to some of the parents.
In another development, 38 worshippers kidnapped during an attack on a church in Kwara state have been freed, confirmed Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
Aisha Yesufu, a rights activist and co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls Movement, expressed her heartbreak over the situation, stressing the need for a united stand against such attacks on children.
The church assault in Eruku town resulted in the deaths of two individuals as gunmen took others hostage. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu attributed the release of the worshippers to the efforts of security agencies but did not provide further details.
SOURCE: AFRICA NEWS.COM
