By Amofokhai Williams
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FG) announced on Sunday that it has secured the release of 100 of the schoolchildren abducted last month from St. Mary’s Private Catholic School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
According to reports, the children are now undergoing medical screening and debriefing before they are reunited with their families.
Officials have yet to confirm whether the release followed a negotiation or ransom payment.
On 21 November 2025, armed men stormed St. Mary’s School at around 2:00 a.m., narrowly escaping the unprepared school guards. They abducted approximately 315 persons, 303 students and 12 teachers, in one of Nigeria’s largest school kidnappings in recent years.
Of that number, about 50 pupils escaped soon after the attack and returned to their families on their own.
Until Sunday’s release, the remaining children and teachers (over 160 people) remained in captivity, fueling national outrage and fear.
The Papiri incident highlights a grim, deepening trend in Nigeria- mass kidnappings of schoolchildren for ransom. Since the infamous 2014 abduction of the “Chibok girls,” multiple high-profile attacks have targeted educational institutions, particularly boarding schools.
Analysts attribute the rise in these attacks to a combination of factors: weakened rural security, proliferation of armed criminal “bandit” groups, and expansive ungoverned forested areas that allow kidnappers to hide and move with impunity.
In the days following the Papiri abduction, the government ordered indefinite closure of numerous schools in Niger State and neighbouring states and imposed aerial and ground surveillance across high-risk zones.
In addition to the rescue operation, the government’s top security officials, including the Nuhu Ribadu (National Security Adviser), have met with parents and community leaders to reassure them of continued efforts to recover the remaining hostages.
Despite the partial success, human rights advocates and parents remain alarmed. They demand transparent disclosure of how the release was secured, assurances for the safe return of the remaining children and teachers, and stronger security guarantees to prevent repeat attacks.
Many warn that without such measures, the country’s education system, especially in rural and remote areas, remains under grave threat.
