The Presidency has announced the successful rescue of the remaining 130 schoolchildren abducted by bandits from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, following a military-intelligence-led operation.
The disclosure was made on Sunday by the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, who confirmed that the students were released on Sunday, November 21.
According to him, the rescued children are expected to arrive in Minna on Monday, where they will be reunited with their parents ahead of the Christmas celebration.
Onanuga stated in a post on 𝕏 that the release of the latest batch brings the total number of freed students to 230, noting that 100 of the abducted children had earlier been released by the abductors.
“The remaining 130 schoolchildren abducted by terrorists at St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, on November 21, have now been released,” he wrote. “The freedom of the schoolchildren followed a military-intelligence driven operation.”
The abduction of the students had sparked widespread concern across the country, with calls for intensified security efforts to secure their release. The Presidency described the rescue as a major breakthrough by security agencies and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding lives and tackling insecurity nationwide.
