The safe release of all kidnapped students and teachers from St. Mary’s Private Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, has been confirmed by multiple authorities. Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and the school’s proprietor, received personal confirmation from Niger State Governor Umaru Bago. The news was further corroborated by the Presidential spokesperson, Sunday Dare, who posted on X: “Another 130 abducted Niger state pupils released, none left in captivity.” The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, also confirmed the children’s safe return, commending security agencies for their efforts.

The abduction took place on November 21, 2023, when suspected terrorists attacked the boarding school in the early hours. Initial reports varied, citing between 265 and 315 students and staff as kidnapped, though roughly 50 pupils escaped within the first 24 hours. Attackers reportedly spent nearly three hours moving systematically from dormitory to dormitory before marching captives into nearby forests.

Government-led operations first secured the release of 100 captives on December 7–8, 2023, including 99 students and one staff member. The OLA Sisters and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) later reported that 165 individuals remained in captivity, comprising 119 primary students, 35 nursery children, and 11 staff members—figures that slightly conflicted with the presidency’s earlier estimate of 115.

The final batch of 130 captives was freed on Sunday, bringing the total number of released individuals to 230, according to the Office of the National Security Adviser. The rescued students and teachers were transported through Wawa, Mokwa, and Bida to Minna, Niger State’s capital, for a formal reception by the governor and medical assessments. While officials asserted that no one remained in captivity, school management estimates suggested that up to 35 individuals might still be unaccounted for.

The release came after assurances from National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu that the remaining captives would be freed before Christmas. The circumstances of their release remain unclear, with speculation about ransom payments or prisoner exchanges, though the government has consistently denied any ransom. Investigations by PREMIUM TIMES and The New Humanitarian attribute the abductions to a Boko Haram faction led by Mallam Sadiku.

This incident underscores a troubling resurgence of mass kidnappings in Nigeria, highlighting the country’s escalating security crisis. Kidnap-for-ransom operations have become highly organized, with SBM Intelligence estimating revenues of N2.56 billion between July 2024 and June 2025, or roughly $1.66 million. The event evokes memories of the infamous 2014 Boko Haram abduction of nearly 300 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State. Nigeria continues to face multiple interlinked security threats, including jihadist activity in the northeast and armed banditry in the northwest, posing ongoing challenges to the safety of its citizens and educational institutions.