The Niger State government has formally received the 100 pupils who were recently rescued by security forces after they were kidnapped by bandits from St. Mary Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area.
The pupils regained their freedom 17 days after they were kidnapped.
The rescued pupils were personally received by the Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, on Monday in the company of other government officials.
The schoolchildren, who were conveyed in separate buses, arrived at the Niger State Government House at about 5:20 pm.
As earlier reported by Naijaonpoint, the federal government secured the release of the 100 schoolchildren kidnapped by bandits on November 21, 2025.
The bandits had invaded the remote Papiri community around 2:00 a.m., arriving on motorbikes and attacking the school dormitories for over three hours. By the time they retreated, 315 people, 303 students and 12 teachers, had been taken away.
In the first 24 hours after the abduction, 50 pupils managed to escape and were reunited with their families. However, 265 individuals, 253 children and all 12 teachers remained in captivity.
Security agents, alongside local hunters, were immediately deployed to comb the surrounding forests in search of the missing victims.
While the release has brought immense relief to the parents of the freed pupils, those whose children remain in captivity continue to endure anxiety and uncertainty.
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