Pat Stevens/
The Nigerian government has secured the release of 100 schoolchildren abducted last month in Niger State in one of the country’s worst mass kidnappings in recent months.
Gunmen stormed St Mary’s Catholic Boarding School in Papiri, a rural community in Niger State, on November 21, kidnapping 112 pupils and 12 members of staff, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
About 50 pupils escaped in the hours after the attack, but the fate of the remaining children and staff had remained unknown until now.
Some of the abducted pupils were as young as six.
The release was reported on Sunday, although details of how the children regained their freedom have not been made public.
As at the time of reporting, neither CAN nor the Niger State government said they had received official notification from the federal authorities.
“We are not officially aware and have not been duly notified by the federal government. We hope and pray it is true and look forward to the release of the remaining victims,” said Daniel Atori, spokesman for the CAN leadership in Niger State.
The federal government has yet to issue a formal statement on the development.
The abduction once again highlighted Nigeria’s persistent kidnapping crisis, more than a decade after the Chibok schoolgirls were seized by Boko Haram in Borno State.
Mass kidnappings of pupils for ransom have become a recurring security challenge, particularly in the northern regions.
The incident also came at a time of renewed international attention on Nigeria’s security situation and concerns over attacks on religious communities.
Earlier on Sunday, a United States congressional delegation met Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in Abuja.
Ribadu said discussions focused on counter-terrorism cooperation, regional stability and strengthening Nigeria–US security ties.
It remains unclear whether all the abducted schoolchildren and staff have now been freed, as officials are yet to confirm if the remaining victims are among those released.
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