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Release confirmed after month-long abduction
Nearly 100 children kidnapped from a Catholic boarding school in central Nigeria last month have been freed, authorities confirmed on Monday. The students were among more than 250 pupils and staff taken from St Mary's Catholic School in Papiri, Niger state, on 21 November.
Official confirmation and next steps
Niger state police commissioner Adamu Abdullahi Elleman and Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, who oversees the school, told the BBC the release had been verified by Nigeria's national security adviser. However, Bishop Yohanna said it remained unclear when the children would be reunited with their families, suggesting authorities may need time to process them and arrange support before a formal handover.
Neither official disclosed the children's current location or the circumstances of their release. Details about whether negotiations, military intervention, or ransom payments secured their freedom have not been made public.
Government involvement and security concerns
Abdullahi Sule, governor of neighbouring Nasarawa state, told local media the federal government played a pivotal but undisclosed role in securing the release, citing security sensitivities. Last week, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu visited Papiri and assured Bishop Yohanna the children would be rescued soon.
Mass abductions have surged in Nigeria's north and central regions, with schools and places of worship increasingly targeted. On 18 November, two people were killed and 38 worshippers abducted from Christ Apostolic Church in Kwara state. The following day, gunmen killed two and seized 25 Muslim students from Government Girls' Secondary School in Kebbi state. All hostages from those attacks have since been freed.
Recent attacks and ongoing threats
In the past week alone, at least 20 people were kidnapped in two separate incidents. In central Kogi state, armed men abducted a pastor, his wife, and several congregants from a newly established church. In northern Sokoto state, a bride and her bridesmaids were taken during a wedding celebration.
While most analysts attribute the kidnappings to criminal gangs seeking ransom, a presidential spokesman previously told the BBC the government suspects jihadist groups are responsible. Nigeria banned ransom payments in 2022 to disrupt funding for kidnappers, but reports suggest payments continue.
Debate over motives and international scrutiny
Nigerian officials and analysts reject claims that Christians are being specifically targeted, noting that Muslims and people of all faiths have been victims. The country's security crisis drew global attention last month after US President Donald Trump threatened to deploy troops if the government failed to curb violence against Christians-a characterization Nigerian authorities dispute.
"All Nigerians, regardless of faith, are at risk from these attacks. The narrative of religious targeting is misleading," a government spokesperson said.
