After being freed from captivity, the remaining 130 students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, were turned over to Niger State Governor Umar Bago by National Security Advisor Nuhu Ribadu.
A terrifying five-week experience came to an end on Friday when the pupils between Niger State’s Agwara and Borgu Local Government Areas were released.
In a blatant attack on November 21, 2025, gunmen kidnapped 315 individuals, including 303 students and 12 teachers. Shortly after the kidnapping, fifty students managed to flee, and on December 7, another hundred were set free.
Journalists were not allowed to talk with the youngsters during the official handover at Government House in Minna, but the atmosphere was clearly emotional, with some of the rescued students crying.
President Bola Tinubu ordered 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, acting on the Chief of Army Staff’s orders, worked tirelessly to accomplish the successful rescue.
Ribadu reiterated the federal government’s dedication to protecting schools and communities nationwide.
In high-risk areas, he continued, state authorities, traditional leaders, and religious leaders were implementing both short-term preventive measures and long-term, community-based security initiatives.
