In a significant development, the last group of pupils kidnapped from a Catholic boarding school in north-central Nigeria over a month ago have finally been recovered and handed over to state authorities. The government confirmed the release of the remaining children, bringing a painful chapter to a close for the affected families.
Emotional Handover Ceremony in Minna
On Monday, December 22, 2025, a convoy of six vans, carrying the rescued children and escorted by security forces in armoured vehicles, arrived at the Niger State Government House in Minna. An AFP reporter on the scene witnessed the emotional handover. The group comprised 130 pupils, along with seven teachers and support staff, who were the final batch taken during the late November attack on St. Mary’s co-educational boarding school.
Niger state Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, expressed profound relief during the reception ceremony. "Thank God for the mercy he has shown us, because if you look at these children and imagine the torment they went through, it is unbearable," he stated. The children, aged between four and ten years old according to a teacher present, were seen posing for photographs. Some wore brightly-coloured football jerseys, while others were dressed in traditional Nigerian attire.
A Month-Long Ordeal and Confusing Tally
The mass abduction at St. Mary’s in the rural hamlet of Papiri, which evoked memories of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping, was one of several that shocked the nation in November. The exact number of victims has been unclear throughout the crisis.
- Initially, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) reported 315 students and staff were missing after the attack.
- Approximately 50 individuals managed to escape immediately.
- On December 7, the government secured the release of around 100 captives.
- This left about 165 people presumed still with the kidnappers before Sunday's announcement of the 130 rescued.
However, a UN source suggested over the weekend that all those taken had been accounted for, as dozens thought kidnapped had actually fled during the initial attack and found their way home. Daniel Atori, a spokesman for CAN in Niger state, noted on Sunday that final verification was still needed.
Unanswered Questions and a Growing Crisis
The identity of the gunmen behind the St. Mary's abduction and the precise terms of the release remain undisclosed. Analysts, citing past incidents, suspect a ransom payment—a practice technically illegal—may have been involved.
The incident has reignited serious concerns about security in Nigerian schools. At a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, Nigeria’s Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, faced questions on why schools remain vulnerable despite significant security allocations in past years. He urged optimism, stating the government was taking extensive measures to curb the menace.
This kidnapping underscores a grim reality in Africa's most populous nation. Nigeria grapples with intertwined security threats, from jihadists in the northeast to armed bandit gangs in the northwest. Kidnapping for ransom has become a rampant, profit-driven industry. A recent report by Lagos-based consultancy SBM Intelligence indicated the crisis raised an estimated $1.66 million between July 2024 and June 2025, highlighting its scale as a structured criminal enterprise.
