Federal Government Secures Release of 100 Children Abducted from Niger State Catholic School

The Federal Government has reportedly secured the release of 100 schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, marking a major breakthrough in one of the country’s most distressing mass abductions in recent years.

The kidnapping occurred on 21 November 2025, when armed bandits stormed the remote community around 2:00 a.m., arriving on motorbikes and sweeping through the school dormitories over a harrowing three-hour period. A total of 315 individuals were seized—303 students and 12 teachers—prompting widespread shock and condemnation nationwide.

Security forces and local hunters immediately launched search operations across nearby forests in an effort to track down the abductors. Within 24 hours, 50 students managed to escape and were safely reunited with their families, but 265 individuals—including 253 children and all 12 teachers—remained in captivity.

In the aftermath of the attack, the Niger State Government revealed it had earlier received credible intelligence warning of heightened security risks across parts of the Niger North Senatorial District. According to a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, authorities had suspended construction activities and temporarily closed boarding schools in the affected areas as a precautionary measure.

The government also accused St. Mary’s School of reopening and resuming full operations without official clearance—a claim school authorities vehemently denied. The tragedy drew global attention, including a reaction from Pope Leo XIV, who expressed solidarity with the victims and called for their safe return.

At the federal level, a 24-hour security cordon was imposed, with aerial surveillance deployed across sections of Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States. President Bola Tinubu cancelled planned international travel to oversee the crisis response personally, while all schools in Niger State and several federal institutions in high-risk zones were ordered shut indefinitely.

Last Monday, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu assured parents and community leaders that the abducted children were alive and would soon return home. Speaking during a visit to the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, and families of the victims at St. Michael’s Catholic Cathedral in Kontagora, Ribadu conveyed President Tinubu’s message of hope, stressing that rescue efforts were progressing steadily.

“God is with them and God is with us. Evil will never win. They are going to come back. I give you that assurance,” he said, reaffirming the government's commitment to securing their safe return.

The reported release of 100 of the abducted children marks a significant development, though more than a hundred still remain in captivity. Security operations continue as authorities intensify efforts to ensure the safe recovery of all remaining victims.