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100 Pupils Freed From Niger State School Abduction, 165 Still Missing

Authorities have provided no explanation for the release or the remaining captives' status.

Overview

  • The freed children from Saint Mary Catholic School in Papiri were received by Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago before medical evaluations and planned reunions.
  • They arrived in five buses escorted by military and armored vehicles, with UNICEF emphasizing the need for immediate health assessments.
  • UN and Nigerian presidency statements confirmed the release on Sunday, with the formal handover to state authorities taking place Monday.
  • Local church authorities say 303 students and 12 staff were abducted on November 21, around 50 escaped soon after, and 165 people are still unaccounted for.
  • Officials have not identified the abductors or described how the release was secured, as the country confronts recurrent mass kidnappings and a recently declared national security state of emergency.