The remaining 115 students of St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, who were abducted by armed bandits in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, have reportedly regained their freedom, bringing relief to families and communities after weeks of fear and uncertainty.
The students were part of a large-scale kidnapping that occurred in the early hours of November 21, 2025, when gunmen invaded the Catholic mission school in a midnight raid and whisked away hundreds of pupils and staff into the surrounding forests. The incident ranked among the most disturbing mass school abductions in Nigeria in recent years.
Initial reports following the attack indicated that about 315 students and teachers were taken during the raid. In the days that followed, dozens of pupils managed to escape on their own, while security forces intensified search-and-rescue operations across Niger State and neighbouring areas.
About two weeks after the abduction, 100 of the kidnapped students were released and reunited with their families, raising hopes that negotiations and security pressure were yielding results. However, the fate of the remaining 115 children remained uncertain, fueling anxiety among parents, religious leaders, and human-rights advocates.
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Fresh information now suggests that the final group of 115 students was released on Friday evening, reportedly in a forest area located between Agwara and Borgu Local Government Areas of Niger State. The release is said to have followed sustained security operations and strategic engagements by federal authorities.
Although official confirmation from the Niger State Government and security agencies is still being awaited, multiple sources familiar with the development confirmed that the children were alive and had been safely recovered from captivity.
Reports indicate that security operatives attached to the Office of the National Security Adviser were mobilised immediately after the release to evacuate the children under heavy protection, ensuring their safe movement from the forest location to a secure holding facility.
Medical personnel were also said to be on standby to conduct health checks on the freed students, many of whom reportedly endured harsh conditions while in captivity. Arrangements are expected to include psychological support and trauma counseling before full reunification with their families.
The kidnapping had earlier drawn national and international condemnation, with calls for stronger protection of schools, particularly faith-based and rural institutions that are increasingly targeted by criminal groups across northern Nigeria.
With the reported release of the last group of abducted students, attention is now shifting to post-rescue care, accountability, and long-term security reforms, as Nigerians once again demand decisive action to end the persistent threat of mass abductions and protect the country’s children.
