The Federal Government has successfully negotiated the release of 100 pupils who were abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State.
The students were among 315 people seized when armed attackers struck the school in the early hours of November 21, 2025.
The assailants, reportedly arriving on motorbikes around 2 a.m., targeted the school dormitories, abducting 303 students and 12 staff members over a span of three hours.
In the immediate aftermath, 50 children managed to escape and were safely reunited with their families, leaving 265 individuals still in captivity.
In response, security forces, alongside local hunters, conducted extensive searches in surrounding forests.
The government also implemented a 24-hour security cordon and launched aerial surveillance in Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi states to assist in rescue operations.
The Secretary to the Niger State Government, Abubakar Usman, condemned the attack and disclosed that intelligence had earlier flagged heightened security risks in the northern part of the state.
He also mentioned that the school had resumed operations without informing state authorities, a claim rejected by the school management.
During a visit to the Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and school proprietor, Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, reassured parents that the abducted pupils were safe.
Ribadu emphasised the commitment of the government to the children’s safe return, stating, “Efforts to rescue the students are ongoing, and we remain confident in their safe recovery. God is with them and with us.”
Following the incident, the federal government ordered the temporary closure of all schools in Niger State and heightened security measures in other high-risk areas to prevent further abductions.
The attack drew attention from international figures, including the Catholic pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, who expressed concern over the safety of the children.
The release of 100 children represents a critical step in resolving the crisis, as authorities continue efforts to secure the remaining students and staff members, ensuring their safe return to their families.
