Inside the High-Risk Operation That Freed 130 Abducted St. Mary Catholic Primary and Secondary School Students in Niger State – NSA
The final chapter of one of Niger State’s most distressing school abductions ended on Tuesday with the safe rescue of the remaining 130 pupils taken from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area.
The children, along with seven teachers, were brought under heavy security escort to the Niger State Government House in Minna, where Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago formally received them. Their arrival, shortly after 1:30 p.m., followed days of intense, intelligence-driven security operations coordinated at the highest levels of government.
Details of the rescue were outlined by the Office of the National Security Adviser, which confirmed that the operation was led through sustained collaboration among the Department of State Services, the Nigerian Army, the Police, and international partners. The effort was overseen by the Office of the NSA in line with a direct presidential directive.
Major General Adamu Laka (retd.), National Coordinator of the Counter Terrorism Centre, described the rescue as the product of careful planning, strategic coordination, and persistent field engagement. He confirmed that all the children were rescued without injury.
“This was a complex operation carried out with precision,” he said, expressing gratitude for the safe outcome. He added that arrangements were being made for the children and their families to celebrate Christmas in Minna.
The pupils arrived in seven white Hiace buses, escorted by armoured personnel carriers and bulletproof vehicles operated by the DSS and the Nigerian Army. Security presence around the Government House remained tight throughout the reception.
The abduction occurred in late November when gunmen attacked the Catholic boarding school in Papiri, kidnapping students and staff in a raid that shocked the nation. Initial figures released by the Christian Association of Nigeria indicated that 315 persons were missing after the attack. About 50 escaped in the immediate aftermath, while roughly 100 were released earlier this month following negotiations and security pressure.
The rescue of the remaining 130 victims brings closure to an incident that reignited painful national memories of mass school kidnappings, including the 2014 abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, many of whom are still unaccounted for more than ten years later.
Speaking on behalf of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Major General Garba Adamu Alaka said the operation reflected the federal government’s renewed resolve to confront insecurity decisively.
“This rescue is the direct outcome of the clear directive of the President and the intensive, intelligence-led operations carried out by the Office of the NSA alongside the DSS, the Nigerian Army, the Police, and our international partners,” Alaka said. “All victims were rescued unharmed. That is significant.”
He praised the role of the DSS and the Second Division of the Nigerian Army, noting that strategic oversight from the Chief of Army Staff played a key role in the success of the mission. He also reaffirmed the NSA’s commitment to working with state governments and traditional institutions to strengthen community-level security.
Governor Bago, visibly moved, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the security agencies for what he described as unwavering support and professionalism.
“I thank God for the safe return of these children,” the governor said. “They will now celebrate Christmas with their families, and that is a great relief to us all.”
The Papiri abduction has intensified public anger over worsening insecurity in northern Nigeria, where armed groups increasingly target schools for ransom. Despite repeated assurances, educational institutions remain vulnerable, particularly in rural communities.
