All schoolchildren and teachers abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Private Primary and Secondary School in the Papiri community of Niger State have been released, marking the end of a traumatic month-long ordeal. The abduction, which occurred in the early hours of November 21, 2025, involved armed gunmen attacking the boarding school. Initial reports indicated that 303 students and 12 teachers were seized in what was described as one of the largest mass kidnappings in recent Nigerian history. The school is located in the Papiri community, though different sources identified its local government area as either Agwara or Rafi.

The path to their freedom involved several stages. Shortly after the incident, approximately 50 students managed to escape on their own. Following sustained security operations, a significant number of abductees, around 100, were released on December 8. The final batch of victims regained their freedom on a Sunday. Reports on the exact number of individuals in this final group varied; one source stated 115 students were freed, bringing the total number of rescued children to approximately 265, while another report indicated that 130 individuals were freed, culminating in a total of 230 rescued. Despite these discrepancies in numbers, officials from the Office of National Security Adviser and local residents confirmed that all remaining students and teachers had been successfully released.

The successful release has brought immense relief to families and is being hailed as a major breakthrough by security agencies involved in the rescue efforts. Following the abduction, the incident triggered nationwide outrage and renewed concerns over school safety across Nigeria. Authorities intensified efforts, imposing a security cordon around border communities and deploying ground troops and aerial surveillance across parts of Niger, Kebbi, and Kwara States to track the kidnappers. President Bola Tinubu also reportedly cancelled an official trip to personally coordinate rescue efforts, and authorities ordered the temporary closure of schools across Niger State and some federal institutions located in high-risk areas.

The freed students and teachers are currently being transported to Minna, the Niger State capital, where they are expected to undergo medical checks and be reunited with their families. This resolution underscores the ongoing calls for stronger protection of schools and decisive action to prevent a repeat of such attacks, emphasizing the vulnerability of educational institutions in certain regions.