By Ayo Kehinde
All the schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri community, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, have regained their freedom following the release of the final batch of 130 pupils.
Officials from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) confirmed the development to journalists on Sunday, bringing to a close weeks of anxiety and uncertainty for the families of the victims and the wider community.
With this latest development, a total of 230 pupils previously held in captivity have now been freed.
The schoolchildren were reportedly released on Friday at a location between the Agwara and Borgu local government areas of the state.
The victims were abducted on November 21, when gunmen on motorcycles invaded the boarding school in a coordinated operation that reportedly lasted about three hours.
During the initial attack, 315 persons, comprising 303 students and 12 teachers, were taken away by the assailants.
Within the first 24 hours of the incident, 50 pupils managed to escape, leaving 265 abductees, including all 12 teachers, in captivity.
On December 7, the Federal Government secured the release of an initial 100 students following intensified security operations.
The abduction of the pupils sparked nationwide outrage and renewed concerns over the safety of educational institutions, particularly in vulnerable and rural communities.
In response to the crisis, President Bola Tinubu cancelled scheduled foreign trips to personally oversee the rescue efforts, a move that underscored the gravity of the situation.
The incident also led to the indefinite closure of schools in Niger State and several federal institutions located in high-risk areas.
Authorities stated that the release of the remaining pupils was achieved through sustained security pressure and coordinated efforts by relevant security and intelligence agencies.
The specific details of the operation were not disclosed.
However, the Police Command in the state confirmed the release of the remaining 130 abducted students and staff on Sunday night
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Minna.
Abiodun said that the remaining batch of the victims was released on Sunday, bringing an end to the ordeal of the abducted students and staff of the school.
He explained that a total of 130 victims, including staff members of the school, were released in the latest development.
The police spokesman assured the public that further developments on the matter would be communicated as necessary.
