All 230 schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, have now been safely released, following the freedom of the final group of 130 pupils. Officials of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) confirmed the development on Sunday.
The release brings an end to days of fear and uncertainty for the families of the victims and marks a major success for security agencies involved in the rescue operation. The students had been taken after gunmen attacked the boarding school, an incident that sparked nationwide outrage and raised urgent concerns over the safety of educational institutions.
Authorities said the liberation of the pupils was achieved through sustained pressure and coordinated efforts by security agencies, although details of the operation were not disclosed.
The incident has renewed calls for stronger protection of schools and more decisive measures to prevent future abductions, as insecurity continues to dominate national discourse in Nigeria.
