Nigerian authorities announced Sunday that the remaining 130 schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger State, regained their freedom, ending a traumatic month-long hostage crisis that gripped the nation.
Terrorists stormed the boarding school in the early hours of November 21, 2025, seizing 303 students and 12 teachers in one of the largest mass kidnappings in recent Nigerian history.
However, about 50 students escaped shortly after the attack, and security agencies freed 100 more on December 8 through coordinated operations.
Then, on December 21, the final group of approximately 130 victims walked free, bringing the total number of rescued individuals to around 230-265, according to varying official and church reports.
Presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare confirmed the development, stating no children remained in captivity.
Meanwhile, families in the remote Papiri community expressed profound relief.
Parents, who often learned of earlier releases through media rather than direct notification, prepared to reunite with their children.
Officials plan to transport the latest group to Minna, the state capital, for medical examinations before handing them over to loved ones in time for Christmas celebrations.
Furthermore, Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago praised the “sustained security pressure and coordinated efforts” by federal agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Authorities attributed the successes to military-intelligence driven operations, though they disclosed no details on arrests or neutralizations of the perpetrators—armed bandits operating in the region’s northwest.
In addition, the incident highlights Nigeria’s persistent insecurity challenges.
Criminal gangs frequently target schools for ransom in northern states, forcing widespread closures and disrupting education for thousands.
Amnesty International and local groups report over 1,000 abductions in 2025 alone, fueling public frustration over impunity.
Nevertheless, today’s full release offers a rare positive outcome amid the crisis.
Church leaders from the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, which owns the school managed by the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles, welcomed the news while calling for stronger protections to prevent future attacks.
As the freed children head home, communities hope this breakthrough signals broader progress in tackling banditry that has plagued the region for years.
