All schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Private Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara LGA, Niger State, have been safely released, bringing an end to a traumatic month-long ordeal.
The final batch of 115 students was freed on Sunday, completing the release of all 265 children taken during the mass kidnapping on November 21, 2025. Armed gunmen had seized 303 students and 12 teachers in one of the largest school abductions in recent Nigerian history.
In the aftermath of the attack, 50 students managed to escape on their own, while another 100 were released on December 8 following coordinated security operations.
The safe return of all the children has brought relief to families and is being hailed as a major success by security agencies involved in the rescue efforts.