Over two weeks after armed bandits abducted 315 people from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, authorities confirm a major breakthrough as rescue efforts intensify across Niger, Kebbi, and Kwara States.
The Federal Government has confirmed the successful rescue of 100 children abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
Armed bandits had stormed the remote community in the early hours of 21 November 2025, arriving on motorbikes and operating for nearly three hours before whisking away 315 people, including 303 students and 12 teachers, from the school dormitories.
Initial search operations involving security forces and community hunters led to the escape of 50 students within the first 24 hours, reuniting them with their families. However, 265 victims among them 253 children and all 12 staff members remained in captivity.
Niger State authorities said the attack occurred despite earlier intelligence warning of heightened security risks across communities in the Niger North Senatorial District. Following those warnings, the government ordered the temporary shutdown of boarding schools and the suspension of construction activities in the affected region.
Officials later alleged that St. Mary’s Catholic School had reopened without official clearance, a claim denied by the school’s management.
Images shared by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, revealed deserted dormitories with scattered belongings, painting a grim picture of the night the children were taken. The incident drew widespread condemnation, including from Pope Leo XIV.
In response, the Federal Government imposed a 24-hour security cordon across parts of Niger, Kwara, and Kebbi States, backed by aerial surveillance. President Bola Tinubu canceled planned international engagements to oversee the crisis, while all schools in Niger State and several federal institutions in high-risk areas were ordered to shut down indefinitely.
FG’s Assurance
Earlier this week, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, assured anxious families and church authorities that ongoing rescue operations were yielding progress. Ribadu, who met with the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, and parents of the abducted pupils, conveyed President Tinubu’s message of hope.
“God is with them and God is with us. Evil will never win. They are going to come back. I give you that assurance,” Ribadu said during the visit to St. Michael’s Catholic Cathedral, Kontagora.
Security sources say operations remain active as efforts continue to free the remaining captives.
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