Nigeria Secures Release of Remaining Students Abducted from Catholic School

Nigeria Secures Release of Remaining Students Abducted from Catholic School
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Nigerian authorities say they have secured the release of 130 additional schoolchildren abducted from a Catholic boarding school in Niger state, bringing the number of freed captives to more than 200, The Guardian reported. Presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare announced the development on social media, stating that none of the abducted pupils remained in captivity. The children were kidnapped in late November when armed attackers stormed St Mary’s co-educational boarding school in the rural community of Papiri, in north-central Nigeria.

The abduction was one of several mass kidnappings reported across the country in recent months, highlighting ongoing security challenges. The exact number of students and staff taken from the school has remained unclear. The Christian Association of Nigeria previously said 315 people were abducted, noting that around 50 escaped shortly after the attack and about 100 others were released earlier this month.

A United Nations source said the newly released pupils were expected to be transferred to Minna, the capital of Niger state. Nigerian authorities have not disclosed who was responsible for the kidnapping or the terms under which the hostages were freed.

Mass abductions for ransom have become increasingly common in parts of Nigeria, carried out by criminal gangs and armed groups. The latest incident has renewed concerns over public safety in a country grappling with multiple security threats, including militant violence and banditry, which have affected both Christian and Muslim communities.