JUST IN: Relief in Niger State as 100 Kidnapped Schoolchildren Regain Freedom

The Federal Government has secured the release of 100 schoolchildren kidnapped from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State. The abductions occurred on 21 November 2025, when armed men invaded the remote community around 2:00 a.m., arriving on motorbikes and operating for about three hours before taking 315 people, including 303 students and 12 teachers.

Security personnel and local hunters were immediately deployed to search surrounding forests, and 50 pupils managed to escape within the first 24 hours. Despite those early breakthroughs, 265 people remained in captivity, among them 253 children and all 12 teachers.

In response to the crisis, the Federal Government enforced a 24-hour security cordon and launched aerial surveillance across parts of Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States. President Bola Tinubu cancelled scheduled international engagements to oversee rescue efforts, while authorities ordered an indefinite shutdown of schools across Niger State and several federal institutions in high-risk areas.

More to follow….