Families and authorities in central Nigeria breathed a sigh of relief as about 100 children kidnapped from a Catholic school last month were released and returned to safety.
The rescued students arrived in Minna, the Niger state capital, traveling in minibuses under the protection of military vans and armoured vehicles. They were welcomed by Governor Umar Bago.
The details surrounding their release remain uncertain. It is not clear whether the children were freed through negotiation, military action, or if any ransom was involved. Last month, St Mary’s Catholic school in Papiri saw over 250 students and 12 staff taken by gunmen, part of a troubling rise in mass abductions across the region.
According to the BBC, the children are expected to be transported back to their school, more than 300km from Minna, on Tuesday, where they will be reunited with their families. Governor Abdullahi Sule of neighbouring Nasarawa state said the federal government played a major role in securing the release, but added that the details cannot be shared for security reasons.
National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu visited Papiri last week and met Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna and his delegation, assuring them that the children would soon be returned safely. Despite the latest rescue, about 153 students and 12 staff members are still being held by the kidnappers.
The attack on St Mary’s on 21 November came amid a string of similar incidents. Just days earlier, 38 people were abducted and two killed at the Christ Apostolic Church in Kwara state, while 25 students and two staff were kidnapped from Government Girls’ Secondary School in Kebbi state. All the victims in the Kwara and Kebbi attacks have since been freed.
Violence continued last week with at least 20 people kidnapped in two separate incidents. Gunmen targeted a new church in central Kogi state, taking a pastor, his wife, and worshipers, while in northern Sokoto state a bride and her bridesmaids were abducted.
Analysts say most of these attacks are carried out by criminal gangs seeking ransom, though a presidential spokesman told the BBC that jihadist groups may also be involved. Although Nigeria has banned ransom payments to cut off funding to kidnappers, many believe money is still exchanged to secure releases.
The country’s security challenges drew international attention last month after US President Donald Trump warned that troops might be sent if Nigeria “continues to allow the killing of Christians.” Officials and analysts insist that victims come from all faiths and that Christians are not being specifically targeted.
