Following their release from captivity, the remaining 130 students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, were given to Niger State Governor Umar Bago by National Security Advisor Nuhu Ribadu.
After a terrifying five-week ordeal, the schoolchildren were released on Friday between Niger State’s Agwara and Borgu Local Government Areas.
In a blatant attack on November 21, 2025, gunmen kidnapped 315 individuals, including 12 teachers and 303 students. Shortly after the kidnapping, fifty students managed to flee, and on December 7, another hundred were freed.
Journalists were not allowed to talk with the youngsters during the official handover at the Government House in Minna, but the atmosphere was clearly emotional, with some of the rescued students crying.
President Bola Tinubu gave the command for the rescue mission, according to Ribadu, who was represented by Major General Adamu Garba Laka, the National Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Center.
He said that the Department of State Services (DSS) and soldiers from the Nigerian Army’s 2 Division, working under the Chief of Army Staff’s orders, were responsible for the successful rescue.
Ribadu reiterated the federal government’s dedication to protecting communities and educational institutions nationwide.
In high-risk areas, he continued, state authorities, traditional rulers, and religious leaders were implementing both short-term preventive measures and long-term, community-based security initiatives.
