By Muhammad Mamman
All schoolchildren abducted from St Mary’s Catholic Private Primary and Secondary School in Niger State have been released, bringing an end to a traumatic month-long ordeal that shocked the country.
Officials confirmed on Saturday that the final group of 115 students kidnapped from the school in Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area, had regained their freedom. Their release brings the total number of rescued children to about 265.
The mass abduction followed a deadly attack on November 21, 2025, when heavily armed gunmen stormed the boarding school in the early hours of the morning. At least 303 students and 12 teachers were taken in what security analysts described as one of the largest school kidnappings in Nigeria’s recent history.
In the chaotic aftermath of the raid, about 50 students managed to escape on their own. A further 100 children were released on December 8 after what authorities described as “intensive security operations” involving multiple agencies.
The release of the remaining captives ends weeks of anguish for parents and guardians, many of whom had held daily vigils and appeals for the children’s safe return.
Nigerian security officials said efforts were ongoing to track down those responsible for the attack, though no details were given on whether arrests had been made or if any ransom was paid.
School abductions have become a recurring feature of Nigeria’s security crisis, particularly in the north and central regions, where armed groups exploit weak security and remote terrain. Despite repeated government pledges to protect schools, hundreds of students have been kidnapped in similar attacks over the past decade.
Church leaders and rights groups welcomed the children’s release but renewed calls for stronger measures to safeguard schools and hold perpetrators accountable, warning that without decisive action, such attacks are likely to continue.
