Niger State Governor Receives 100 Freed Schoolchildren Abducted in Papiri Attack
The Niger State Government has taken custody of 100 schoolchildren who were abducted last month from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area.
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago formally received the rescued pupils on Monday, December 8, 2025, at the Government House in Minna. The children were immediately placed under state care for medical evaluation and official documentation.
The attack occurred on November 21, when armed men invaded the isolated Papiri community around 2:00 a.m., riding on motorbikes and operating for nearly three hours. A total of 315 people were seized, comprising 303 students and 12 teachers.
Approximately 50 pupils escaped within the first day and were reunited with their families, reducing the number of those held captive to 265.
On Sunday, the Federal Government secured the release of an additional 100 pupils.
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