130 Nigerian schoolchildren freed after mass abduction

The final group of 130 Nigerian schoolchildren kidnapped from St Mary's Catholic school in Niger state last month are expected to be reunited with their families on Monday. The students were abducted along with 12 teachers by unknown gunmen in the Papiri community. This incident marks the second mass abduction in Nigeria within a week and highlights the country's ongoing security crisis, where armed bandits and jihadist groups operate, making rural areas vulnerable. Kidnapping for ransom is prevalent, with thousands of victims and millions of dollars paid in ransom between July 2024 and June 2025. The security situation has drawn international concern, including threats of military action from the US.

The final group of 130 Nigerian schoolchildren kidnapped from St Mary's Catholic school in Niger state last month are expected to be reunited with their families on Monday. The students were abducted along with 12 teachers by unknown gunmen in the Papiri community. This incident marks the second mass abduction in Nigeria within a week and highlights the country's ongoing security crisis, where armed bandits and jihadist groups operate, making rural areas vulnerable. Kidnapping for ransom is prevalent, with thousands of victims and millions of dollars paid in ransom between July 2024 and June 2025. The security situation has drawn international concern, including threats of military action from the US.

The final group of 130 Nigerian schoolchildren kidnapped from St Mary's Catholic school in Niger state last month are expected to be reunited with their families on Monday. The students were abducted along with 12 teachers by unknown gunmen in the Papiri community. This incident marks the second mass abduction in Nigeria within a week and highlights the country's ongoing security crisis, where armed bandits and jihadist groups operate, making rural areas vulnerable. Kidnapping for ransom is prevalent, with thousands of victims and millions of dollars paid in ransom between July 2024 and June 2025. The security situation has drawn international concern, including threats of military action from the US.

In Niger state, Nigeria, the final group of 130 schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary's Catholic School last month were freed on December 22, 2025. The students were part of a larger group of over 300 pupils kidnapped in a mass abduction. The incident drew international concern and highlighted the escalating insecurity and the increasing trend of ransom attacks targeting schools in the region. The release marks the end of this particular kidnapping crisis, but underscores the ongoing challenges of security in Nigeria.

The Nigerian government announced the release of the "remaining" students abducted from St. Mary's Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, on November 21, 2025. Gunmen initially seized 253 students and 12 staff members. A government spokesman stated that 130 schoolchildren were freed in a "military-intelligence driven operation," allowing them to return home for Christmas. However, the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, which operates the school, only confirmed the release of a "second batch" of students. Previously, one adult and 99 students were released two weeks prior. If confirmed, the current release would bring the total to 229, leaving a discrepancy of 24 students unaccounted for, which the government statement did not address.