The Federal Government has successfully secured the release of 100 schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State.
The tragic incident occurred on November 21, 2025, when heavily armed bandits, riding on motorbikes, stormed the school dormitories at around 2 a.m., holding 315 people—303 students and 12 teachers—hostage over a three-hour attack.
In the immediate aftermath, 50 students managed to escape and were reunited with their families, leaving 265 individuals, including 253 children and all 12 teachers, in captivity.
The Federal Government swiftly responded by imposing a 24-hour security cordon around the affected areas and deploying aerial surveillance across parts of Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi states. President Bola Tinubu also cancelled planned international engagements to personally monitor efforts to rescue the abductees.
Authorities subsequently ordered the indefinite closure of schools in Niger State and several federal institutions in high-risk regions to prevent further attacks.
Last Monday, the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, Nuhu Ribadu, visited the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese,
Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, and parents of the abducted children at St. Michael’s Catholic Cathedral, Kontagora.
Ribadu assured them that the children were “doing fine and will return soon,” relaying President Tinubu’s message of hope. He stated,
“God is with them and God is with us. Evil will never win. They are going to come back. I give you that assurance.”
Security sources confirmed that operations are ongoing to secure the release of the remaining abducted pupils and staff.
This latest rescue comes amid growing national concern over repeated attacks on schools in northern Nigeria, highlighting the urgent need for sustained security interventions to protect vulnerable communities.
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