The Federal Government has reportedly secured the release of 100 schoolchildren who were abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State. This development comes approximately two weeks after the initial attack on the remote community school, which occurred on November 21.

Bandits, arriving around 2:00 a.m. on motorbikes, stormed the school dormitories in an operation that reportedly lasted three hours. They initially abducted a total of 315 people, comprising 303 students and 12 teachers. In the immediate aftermath, 50 pupils managed to escape within the first 24 hours and were reunited with their families.

Following these initial escapes, 265 individuals—including 253 children and all 12 teachers—remained in captivity. With the recent release of 100 schoolchildren, as confirmed by security sources, 153 students and 12 teachers are still believed to be in the custody of the bandits.

The rescue operation reportedly followed intensified military operations, extensive aerial surveillance conducted across Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi states, and the crucial deployment of community hunters to comb nearby forests for the abductees. In response to the crisis, President Bola Tinubu reportedly cancelled scheduled foreign trips to personally oversee the government’s efforts. The incident also led to the indefinite closure of schools in Niger State and several federal institutions situated in high-risk areas.

However, the report of the release has been met with some uncertainty from local stakeholders. Daniel Atori, the media aide to Bulus Yohanna, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger state, informed TheCable that the school and its proprietor (the bishop), as well as the parents of the abducted children, had not been officially contacted or made aware of the release. While expressing hope that the news was true and stating it would be "a cheering news," Atori emphasized that they were not officially notified by the federal government and were still awaiting confirmation and the return of the remaining captives.