On 8 December 2025, authorities in Niger State hosted 100 schoolchildren who were freed over the week-end, after being abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, on 21 November 2025.
The circumstances surrounding their release remain undisclosed, and officials have not confirmed whether a ransom — a frequent feature of such attacks — was paid. In total, 303 pupils and 12 teachers were seized during the attack, with 50 escaping shortly after and at least 150, along with their teachers, still held by the gunmen.
The released pupils, aged 10 to 17, arrived at the Niger Government House in Minna accompanied by military convoys and were greeted by state officials. Governor Mohammed Bago announced that health professionals would assess the children before their return to their families. Meanwhile, parents in Papiri expressed distress, stating they learned of the release through media reports and remained uncertain about the fate of their children.
President Bola Tinubu commended security agencies for securing the release of the 100 pupils, reaffirming his directive that all abducted Nigerians be safely rescued. No group has claimed responsibility, though locals suspect armed gangs known for ransom kidnappings across northern Nigeria. The attack is one of several recent mass abductions, including the kidnapping of 25 pupils in Kebbi State and 38 worshippers in Kwara State, the latter of whom have since been freed.