Nigeria Confirms Rescue of 100 Kidnapped Schoolchildren as Families Await News on Hundreds More
Families remain anxious as authorities confirm the release of 100 children from Niger State school abduction
- Nigeria rescues 100 abducted schoolchildren in Niger State
- More than 150 students remain missing after the mass kidnapping
- Families await confirmation on whether their children are among those freed
Nigeria has successfully secured the release of 100 schoolchildren who were abducted last month from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed.
While the operation is one of the largest recoveries in recent mass kidnappings, authorities have not disclosed the details of how the children were freed.
As of Monday afternoon, government officials had not publicly addressed the development, leaving many parents anxious and unsure whether their children were among those rescued. Some parents only learned about the rescue through social media.
Yunusa Kabukaya, whose 11-year-old daughter Magret was taken along with more than 300 pupils and 12 staff on November 21, said he had not received direct confirmation. “I am desperate to know if my daughter is among the rescued students,” he said.
Following the original attack, about 50 children escaped within hours, but information on the remaining students had been scarce until now. More than 150 students are still missing.
Daniel Atori, spokesperson for CAN in Niger State, confirmed the release of 100 children, who were expected to arrive in Minna, the state capital, later Monday. Some of the rescued children are as young as six and will be handed over to school and church officials upon arrival.
Parents from remote villages expressed heightened distress over the lack of official updates. “Our lives have not been the same since the incident,” said Dauda Gwanja, whose 15-year-old son was kidnapped. “We only know about the rescue online. My wife has refused to eat since that day.”
The abductions have intensified outrage over rising insecurity in northern Nigeria, where armed gangs frequently target schools for ransom. The tactic became prominent after Boko Haram abducted 276 girls from Chibok in 2014.
A United States congressional delegation visited Nigeria on Monday to meet with government and church leaders. The talks, prompted by US President Donald Trump’s earlier warnings of possible military action over attacks on Christians, focused on improving security cooperation, including plans for a joint Nigeria-US task force.
Congressman Riley Moore welcomed the rescue of the children and stressed the importance of coordinated efforts to dismantle extremist networks in the northeast and reduce targeted attacks. “There is much work still to be done, but things are moving in the right direction,” he said.
