The Nigerian government has secured the release of 100 schoolchildren who were abducted from a private school in Niger State. The students were taken from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in the Agwara Local Government Area.

The abduction occurred on November 21, 2025, when gunmen on motorbikes stormed the school’s dormitories over a three-hour period, starting at 2 am. A total of 315 people, including 303 students and 12 teachers, were taken. Security forces and local hunters were deployed to search for the abducted individuals in nearby forests.

In the immediate aftermath, 50 pupils managed to escape and were reunited with their families. However, 265 people, comprising 253 children and all 12 teachers, remained in captivity. The release of 100 schoolchildren is a significant development in the case, which has drawn attention to the security challenges faced by schools in the region.

The incident is one of several recent cases of school abductions in Nigeria, highlighting the need for improved security measures to protect educational institutions. The Nigerian government has been working to address the issue, with efforts to enhance security and rescue abducted individuals. The release of the 100 schoolchildren is a positive step, but the fate of the remaining abducted students and teachers remains a concern.

The incident has also raised questions about the safety of schools in rural areas, where security presence may be limited. The Nigerian government has been urged to increase security measures in these areas to prevent similar incidents. The release of the abducted schoolchildren is a welcome development, and efforts will likely continue to secure the release of the remaining individuals.