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2h ago

Nigeria Says 100 St. Mary’s Kidnap Victims Freed, Many Still Held

Officials have not disclosed who carried out the attack or how the release was secured.

Nigerian soldiers from the Multinational Joint Task Force stand guard in Monguno, Borno state, Nigeria, on July 5, 2025.
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Overview

  • The children have arrived in Abuja, with a UN source and the presidential spokesman saying they will be handed to Niger State authorities on Monday.
  • Roughly 153–165 students and staff from the November 21 abduction are still believed to be in captivity.
  • About 303 students and 12 teachers were seized from St. Mary’s School in Papiri, and roughly 50 students escaped in the days immediately after the raid.
  • The Christian Association of Nigeria and Niger State officials said they had not received formal notification of the release, underscoring limited official detail.
  • President Bola Tinubu has declared a security emergency and ordered 20,000 new recruits, as France offers additional support and U.S. claims of anti‑Christian ‘genocide’ remain disputed by Nigerian officials and analysts.