The remaining students and teachers abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, have been freed, bringing an end to weeks of anguish for their families.
A security source confirmed that the latest release covers all victims taken during the November 21, 2025, attack on the school.
Suspected terrorists had stormed the Catholic institution, abducting 303 pupils, students and staff in an operation that reportedly lasted nearly three hours. The assailants were said to have moved systematically from one dormitory to another before marching their captives into surrounding forests.
About 50 pupils escaped within 24 hours of the abduction and were reunited with their families. On December 8, the Federal Government secured the release of 100 more abductees, leaving an unspecified number in captivity until the latest breakthrough.
Sources disclosed that the freed students and teachers are being transported to Minna, the Niger State capital, for medical checks and debriefing ahead of their reunion with loved ones.
As at the time of filing this report, no official statement has been issued by either the Federal Government or the Niger State Government.
