The remaining 115 schoolchildren of St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, who were held by bandits, have regained their freedom.
The release comes about one month after the children were abducted during a midnight raid on the school, where a total of 315 students and teachers were taken away by the attackers.
It would be recalled that about two weeks ago, 100 of the abducted children were released and reunited with their families.
Although there has been no official confirmation from authorities, it was gathered that the remaining children were released on Friday evening in a forest area between Agwara and Borgu local government areas of the state.
According to The Sun, security operatives from the Office of the National Security Adviser have been mobilised to evacuate the children under heavy security. The report also quoted a source familiar with the development as saying the release followed intensive negotiations between the government and the abductors. As of the time of filing this report, it remains unclear whether any ransom was paid.
The children were among the 315 persons abducted on November 21, 2025, when armed bandits stormed the remote school community at about 2:00 a.m., operating unhindered for nearly three hours.
During the attack, 303 students and 12 teachers were taken, triggering a massive security response. Within the first 24 hours, 50 students managed to escape and were reunited with their families, leaving 265 people — including 253 students and all 12 teachers — in captivity.
In response to the incident, the Federal Government imposed a 24-hour security lockdown in the area and launched extensive aerial surveillance across parts of Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi states. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also reportedly cancelled a scheduled international trip to personally oversee the rescue operations.
