The Federal Government has secured the release of at least 100 pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State—more than two weeks after armed bandits carried out a sweeping overnight raid on the remote community.
The attack, which occurred in the early hours of November 21, 2025, saw gunmen on motorbikes invade the school around 2:00 a.m., operating for nearly three hours. By the time they retreated, 315 people—including 303 students and 12 teachers—had been taken from their dormitories into surrounding forest areas.
Security forces, supported by local hunters and vigilante groups, immediately commenced a widespread search across dense forest corridors spanning Niger, Kebbi, and Kwara States. Within the first 24 hours, 50 pupils escaped and were reunited with their families, but 265 victims—253 pupils and all 12 teachers—remained in captivity.
In response, the Federal Government activated what officials described as one of the most extensive coordinated rescue operations in recent years. A 24-hour security cordon was placed around vulnerable border communities, while military aircraft conducted sustained aerial surveillance over suspected hideouts.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also cancelled scheduled international engagements to personally oversee the national response. Authorities directed the immediate and indefinite closure of all schools in Niger State, while federal institutions in high-risk areas were placed on heightened alert.
Last Monday, the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, visited Catholic Bishop of the Kontagora Diocese and proprietor of the school, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, as well as families of the abducted pupils at St. Michael’s Catholic Cathedral, Kontagora. Ribadu conveyed the President’s assurance that the children would be safely returned, urging families to remain hopeful.
“The abducted pupils are doing fine and will return soon,” he said. “God is with them, and God is with us. Evil will never win.”
Details surrounding the release of the 100 rescued pupils remain unclear, as security agencies have not yet provided an official briefing on the circumstances of their recovery.
Channels Television first reported the development on Sunday, even as federal authorities had yet to issue a formal statement as of press time.
