The remaining schoolchildren kidnapped from St Mary’s Catholic Private Primary and Secondary School in the Papiri community of Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State, have been released.
The final group of 115 pupils regained their freedom on Sunday, bringing the total number of rescued children to about 265 and marking the end of a traumatic month-long captivity.
The abduction occurred in the early hours of 21 November 2025, when armed men stormed the boarding school and abducted 303 students along with 12 teachers, in one of the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria’s recent history.
In the immediate aftermath of the attack, about 50 students escaped on their own, while another 100 were released on 8 December following sustained security operations.
The release of the remaining 115 pupils has been described by security agencies as a major breakthrough and has brought immense relief to families and communities who had endured weeks of anxiety and uncertainty.
