Nigeria school kidnapping ends with 130 students freed

Nigeria’s recent school‑kidnapping crisis ended after 30 days when 130 students and staff from St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger State, were released. The abduction took place on 21 November and was one of the largest school kidnappings in recent months, prompting heightened alertness among Nigerian authorities and security forces. Terrorists believed to be linked to Boko Haram stormed the school in the early hours, rounding up 315 people—students and staff alike. About 50 managed to escape, while 265 were taken away, according to school officials.

The captives, aged 6 to 18, were moved through seven villages over two days before disappearing into the Kainji forest reserve. State authorities initially tried to politicise the incident, blaming the school for ignoring security warnings; the school administration disputed these claims. For nearly two weeks, little public information was available about the captives’ whereabouts, leaving families anxious and uncertain.

On 7 December the Nigerian government secured the release of 100 captives, offering a glimmer of hope to families still waiting. After this initial release, attention turned to the remaining hostages. The school management and the Christian Association of Nigeria reported that 165 people were still being held. On 22 December another 130 students and staff were freed, bringing the 30‑day ordeal to an end. The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, which owns the school, confirmed that all captives were now free. School proprietor Bulus Yohanna later clarified that 230 pupils and staff had been abducted, correcting the earlier figure of 265.

The Papiri abduction underscores Nigeria’s ongoing school‑safety crisis, which has seen at least ten mass abductions targeting more than 1,700 students in formal and informal schools since the Chibok kidnappings a decade ago. Details about the conditions of the release have not been disclosed, amid allegations of prisoner exchanges and ransom payments. President Bola Tinubu stated that the means of release are secondary to the fact that the children are now free. The incident highlights the urgent need for stronger measures to ensure school safety and prevent future kidnappings.