The remaining 115 students from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger State, have finally regained their freedom after a month in captivity.
Their release marks the end of a harrowing ordeal that began on November 21, when armed gunmen stormed the school in a midnight raid, abducting 303 students and 12 teachers.
The children were reportedly freed on Friday evening in a forest between the Agwara and Borgu local government areas following what sources described as intensive negotiations between the government and the terrorists.
This final group’s release comes two weeks after an initial 100 children were freed and reunited with their families.
Shortly after the initial attack, 50 students managed to escape, leaving a total of 265 people, including all 12 teachers, in captivity [1, 2]. It is understood that the 12 teachers were also among those released in this final group.
The abduction triggered a massive security response and drew significant national attention.
Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, met with the local Catholic Bishop and families, assuring them of the government’s efforts, while President Bola Tinubu canceled an international trip to personally oversee the crisis response.
Although details about the release are limited, and it remains unclear if a ransom was paid, security agents from the National Security Adviser’s office have been mobilized to safely evacuate the children.
