The federal government has secured the release of all the schoolchildren kidnapped by bandits from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State.
Following the release of another batch of 115 students abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Private Primary and Secondary School in Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State on Sunday, the total number of rescued children is approximately 265.
Officials of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) confirmed the development to newsmen on Sunday.
The release of the students marked the end of a month-long ordeal that began with a deadly attack by armed gunmen on November 21, 2025. The bandits stormed the boarding school in the early hours, abducting 303 students and 12 teachers in one of the largest mass kidnappings in recent Nigerian history.
Recall that 50 students had earlier managed to escape shortly after the abduction, while 100 others were released on December 8 following intensive security operations.
The latest release of the remaining 115 students ends days of anguish for families and represents a significant success for security agencies involved in the rescue efforts.
As earlier reported, the federal government had secured the release of 100 schoolchildren who were part of those kidnapped by bandits on November 21, 2025.
The bandits had invaded the remote Papiri community around 2:00 a.m., arriving on motorbikes and attacking the school dormitories for over three hours. By the time they retreated, 315 people, 303 students and 12 teachers, had been taken away.
In the first 24 hours after the abduction, 50 pupils managed to escape and were reunited with their families. However, 265 individuals, 253 children and all 12 teachers remained in captivity.
Security agents, alongside local hunters, were immediately deployed to comb the surrounding forests in search of the missing victims.
In the wake of the attack, the government ordered the indefinite closure of all schools in Niger State, along with several federal institutions in high-risk areas, pending further security assessments.
