A total of 100 schoolchildren kidnapped from a Catholic school in Nigeria last month were reunited with officials at a government-organised event on Monday. Many of the children appeared both relieved and disoriented after their ordeal.
The circumstances of their release remain unclear. Authorities have not confirmed whether a ransom, common in such kidnappings, was paid.
Background: Mass Abduction in Niger State
At least 303 students and 12 teachers were seized from St. Mary’s Catholic School in the Papiri community of Niger state on 21 November, when armed gunmen stormed the campus.
Fifty students managed to escape in the hours following the attack, while around 150 children and the teachers remain in captivity.
The rescued children were transported in buses escorted by military vehicles to the Niger Government House in Minna, the state capital. Officials greeted the students with hugs and handshakes before photographing them with security personnel.
Niger state Governor Mohammed Bago said health professionals would “thoroughly examine” the children before they are returned to their families in Papiri. “To those who have been praying, please continue to pray,” he told officials. “We hope to recover the remaining students who are still in captivity.”
Families Left in the Dark
Most of the children, aged 10 to 17, were dressed in casual clothes, including soccer jerseys and slippers. Authorities said the students had been in Abuja following their release on Sunday night.
Parents in Papiri learned about the release only through media reports, leaving many anxious and uncertain whether their children were among the freed. Samuel Musa, whose 13-year-old son was abducted, said: “I’m just worried about his safety but praying he should be among the freed. His mother has been sick since the abduction.”
National Response and Ongoing Concerns
President Bola Tinubu praised security agencies for their work in securing the children’s release but provided no further details. He reiterated that all abducted students and other Nigerians must be safely recovered.
No group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, but local residents point to armed gangs that often target schools and travellers for ransom in northern Nigeria.
The Niger state abduction occurred amid a series of mass kidnappings, including 25 students taken in Kebbi state and 38 churchgoers abducted in southern Kwara state last month, all of whom have since been freed.
Under pressure both domestically and internationally, including from U.S. President Donald Trump who has highlighted attacks on Christians in Nigeria, Tinubu has vowed to continue efforts until all hostages are rescued.
Analysts note that Nigerian authorities rarely disclose details of ransom payments or arrests, though ransoms are widely believed to be involved. 