The Federal Government has secured the release of 100 schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
The children were among the 315 persons seized when armed men riding motorbikes invaded the school around 2:00 a.m., operating unchallenged for nearly three hours as they moved through the dormitories. The attackers abducted 303 students and 12 teachers.
Mass Abduction and Immediate Response
In the hours following the attack, security forces and local hunters launched coordinated search operations across surrounding forests. Within the first 24 hours, 50 pupils escaped and were reunited with their families.
This left 265 victims—including 253 children and all 12 teachers—still in captivity.
In response, the Federal Government activated an extensive emergency operation, including a 24-hour security cordon, expanded aerial surveillance over parts of Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States, and a strategic deployment of ground forces.
President Bola Tinubu cancelled scheduled international travel to focus on managing the crisis, while authorities ordered the indefinite closure of all schools in Niger State and several federal institutions in high-risk northern zones.
FG’s Reassurance and Ongoing Efforts
Last Monday, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, reassured anxious parents and school authorities that the abducted pupils were “doing fine and will return soon.”
During a visit to the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and proprietor of the school, Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, Ribadu conveyed President Tinubu’s message of hope, stressing that progress was being made in the rescue operations.
“God is with them and God is with us. Evil will never win. They are going to come back. I give you that assurance,” the NSA said during a meeting with parents at St. Michael’s Catholic Cathedral, Kontagora.
Breakthrough in Rescue Efforts
Government sources confirmed on Sunday that 100 of the abducted children have now regained freedom, marking the first major breakthrough since the operation began. Details of the rescue, including whether force or negotiation was involved, remain tightly guarded for operational reasons.
Security operations are ongoing to secure the remaining abductees, with federal authorities promising sustained pressure on the kidnappers until every victim is safely returned home.
