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.
Armed bandits attacked the remote boarding school on November 21, 2025.
The assailants, who arrived around 2 a.m. on motorcycles, raided the dormitories for more than three hours, abducting 315 people — 303 students and 12 teachers.
Security operatives and local hunters were immediately deployed to nearby forests in search of the victims.
Within the first 24 hours, 50 pupils managed to escape and were reunited with their families, leaving 265 people still in captivity.
In response to the mass abduction, the Federal Government imposed a 24-hour security cordon around the affected region and launched extensive aerial surveillance spanning parts of Niger, Kwara and Kebbi States.
President Bola Tinubu also cancelled planned international engagements to focus on the crisis.
Authorities subsequently ordered the indefinite closure of all schools in Niger State, along with many federal institutions in high-risk regions, as part of urgent security measures.
Details regarding the circumstances of the latest release and the condition of the freed children remain unclear, and the government has yet to issue an official statement.
Further updates are expected
