Final Group of 130 Abducted Nigerian Schoolchildren Freed and Set to Reunite with Families
The final group of 130 schoolchildren abducted from St Mary’s Catholic school in the Papiri community of Niger state, Nigeria, has been freed and is expected to be reunited with their families on Monday, ending a month-long ordeal. This release follows earlier incidents where 50 children escaped shortly after the abduction and 100 were freed on 7 December. The last group was released near the Nigeria–Benin border. No details have been provided regarding how the children’s freedom was secured or who was responsible for the abduction.
The Papiri community lies in Niger state, located west of Abuja toward Benin. The incident involved the seizure of hundreds of pupils and 12 teachers. Presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare confirmed that no schoolchildren remain in captivity.
This mass abduction is the second such incident in West Africa within a week and the second in Niger state in four years, following a May 2021 abduction of 135 pupils from an Islamic seminary. Nigeria’s security challenges include rampant kidnap-for-ransom, armed banditry particularly in the north, and jihadist groups linked to the Sahel region, which all contribute to persistent vulnerability in rural areas. Security agencies are reportedly overstretched managing these threats.
In context, the 2014 Chibok girls’ kidnapping remains the most high-profile case drawing global attention. According to SBM Intelligence, between July 2024 and June 2025, Nigeria experienced 4,722 kidnapping victims, with at least 762 killed and about $1.66 million paid in ransom.
Internationally, US President Donald Trump has threatened military action in Nigeria and designated the country as one of particular concern for alleged 'Christian genocide,' an interpretation that the Nigerian government rejects as oversimplified.
