The Federal Government has confirmed the release of 100 pupils who were abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.
According to official accounts, armed men on motorbikes attacked the isolated school at about 2:00 a.m. on November 21, 2025. The assailants reportedly forced their way into dormitories over a period of roughly three hours, seizing 315 people including 303 students and 12 teachers.
Security services, supported by local community hunters, immediately launched ground searches in surrounding forests. Within the first 24 hours, 50 pupils escaped and were reunited with family members. Authorities say 265 people comprising 253 children and all 12 teachers remain in captivity.
In response to the crisis, the federal government imposed a 24-hour security cordon and mobilised aerial surveillance covering parts of Kwara, Kebbi and Niger states. President Bola Tinubu cancelled planned international travel to oversee the response. Officials also ordered the indefinite closure of all schools in Niger State and suspended operations at several federal institutions in high-risk areas.
Security agencies say investigations and rescue efforts are ongoing as they continue to track the abductors and work to secure the safe release of those still held.