Abducted Niger Pupils Regain Freedom

All schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Private Primary and Secondary School in the Papiri community of Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State, have been released.

The final batch of 115 students were freed on Sunday, bringing the total number of rescued children to about 265 and ending a traumatic month-long ordeal.

The abduction occurred in the early hours of November 21, 2025, when armed gunmen attacked the boarding school, seizing 303 students and 12 teachers in what was one of the largest mass kidnappings in recent Nigerian history.

In the aftermath, 50 students escaped on their own shortly after the incident, while another 100 were released on December 8 following sustained security operations.

The release of the remaining 115 students has brought relief to families and is being hailed as a major breakthrough by security agencies involved in the rescue efforts.