Breaking: All St Mary’s Schoolchildren Kidnapped by Bandits in Niger State Regain Freedom
All students abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Private Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, have regained their freedom.
The final group of 115 students was released on Sunday, bringing the total number of freed children to about 265 and ending a traumatic month-long ordeal. The kidnappers had abducted 303 students and 12 teachers in the early hours of November 21, 2025, in what was described as one of the largest recent mass abductions in Nigeria.
In the aftermath of the attack, 50 students managed to escape on their own, while another 100 were rescued on December 8 following sustained security operations. The release of the remaining captives has brought immense relief to their families and communities and is being hailed as a major success by the security agencies involved in the operation.