President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday expressed relief over the return of 100 pupils abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State, directing security agencies to intensify efforts to free those still being held.
The rescued children were handed over to the Niger State government by the Office of the National Security Adviser before being received in Minna by Governor Umar Bago and senior state officials.
The president condemned the attack as an unacceptable assault on the nation’s school system and the wellbeing of its children. He said pupils must no longer be exposed to relentless threats from armed groups and urged security agencies, in collaboration with state governments, to sustain operations until every abducted victim is safely reunited with their family.
The children were kidnapped on 21 November 2025 during an attack on St Mary’s Catholic Private Primary and Secondary School in the Papiri community of Niger State. A total of 315 people were taken, including 303 students and 12 members of staff. Shortly after the incident, 50 pupils managed to escape, leaving 265 individuals in captivity.
Following weeks of pressure and heightened security efforts, 100 abducted pupils were freed and transported back to Minna, where the state government took custody of them at about 5.20 pm on Monday.
Governor Bago expressed gratitude to the President, the National Security Adviser and the security agencies involved in the operation, describing the rescue as a significant step forward. He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to working with federal authorities to ensure the safe return of all remaining hostages, including the teachers who were taken.
Despite the release, 165 victims are still missing. Tinubu stressed that the Federal Government would continue to collaborate with Niger State and other state governments to strengthen school protection measures. He emphasised the need to prevent further kidnappings and restore confidence in the safety of educational institutions, particularly in remote areas vulnerable to attacks.
The incident has once again highlighted the persistent threat of mass school abductions in Nigeria. Parents, community leaders and civil society groups have continued to raise concerns about the increasing dangers faced by schoolchildren, especially in rural communities where security presence is thin. Many schools have already been forced to shut down temporarily as fear spreads.
