Nigeria Confirms Release of 100 Abducted Schoolchildren After Weeks in Captivity
The Nigerian government has announced the safe release of 100 schoolchildren who were kidnapped last month during a major attack on a boarding school in Niger State.
The children were among hundreds taken when armed men stormed St. Mary’s Catholic Boarding School in Papiri, an incident that sparked nationwide outrage and renewed concerns over student safety across the country.
According to community and security briefings, more than 300 children and a dozen school staff were initially seized during the attack. While around 50 students managed to escape shortly afterwards, the fate of many others—some reportedly as young as six years old, remained unknown for weeks.
Government officials confirmed that the newly freed children will be handed over to state authorities for medical checks, trauma support, and reunification with their families.
A senior government spokesperson also affirmed that the rescue marks a significant step forward in ongoing efforts to tackle school-targeted abductions across the region.
The attack reignited national conversations about insecurity, coming more than a decade after the mass abductions in Chibok that drew global attention to the vulnerability of students in conflict-prone areas. Authorities say operations continue to ensure the safe return of all remaining victims and to prevent further attacks on schools.
