The remaining 130 school children and some of their teachers that were abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, have been released.
Their release on Sunday, December 21, 2025, marked the rescue of the final batch of 130 victims, bringing the total number of the school children and teachers to 230.
This was confirmed by officials of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), to ARISE News Channel on Sunday evening, saying that the latest release ended weeks of fear and uncertainty for family members and residents of the community.
The office of the NSA also said that the development marked a major breakthrough for security agencies involved in the rescue operation.
The school children were kidnapped on November 21, 2025, when some deadly gunmen stormed the boarding school situated in Papiri and abducted the pupils.
The unfortunate attack sparked nationwide outrage and renewed concerns over the safety of schools across Nigeria.
However, authorities said the successful release was achieved through sustained security pressure and coordinated efforts by relevant agencies.
St. Mary’s Catholic School is managed by the OLA Sisters and owned by the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, under the Kaduna Ecclesiastical Province.
Earlier in December, following the release of 100 victims, the Congregation Leader of the OLA Sisters, Sr. Mary T. Barron, confirmed that some of the abducted pupils had regained their freedom, while many others remained in captivity under harsh conditions.
In a statement, Sr. Barron said; “It was with great joy we welcomed the news on 14 December that 100 people had been freed: 14 secondary school students, one staff member, 80 primary school children and five nursery school children.
“However, this joy is tempered with ongoing anguish and concern for the safety of the remaining 165 — 11 staff members, 35 nursery school children and 119 primary school pupils. These children range from age five to 12 or 13,” she had said.
