MINNA, Nigeria — A hundred schoolchildren abducted last month in northern Nigeria were welcomed home on Monday, December 8, 2025, at a ceremony in Niger State’s capital, Minna.
The children, seized during the November 21 attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri community, were received alongside their parents at the Niger Government House.
Health Concerns
UNICEF Nigeria’s Theresa Pamma said the children will need urgent medical checks after more than two weeks in captivity.
Background
At least 303 students and 12 teachers were abducted in the attack. Fifty escaped shortly after, but 150 remain missing.
Governor Mohammed Umar Bago hailed the release as “fundamental” for the state’s history, thanking President Bola Tinubu for support and urging continued prayers for those still held.
Wider Pattern of Abductions
The Papiri kidnapping is the latest in a series of mass abductions:
- 25 schoolchildren abducted in Kebbi state in November.
- 38 worshippers seized in Kwara state around the same time, later freed.
Analysts say ransom payments often secure releases, though officials rarely confirm this.
National and International Pressure
President Tinubu has vowed to free all hostages. He faces pressure from US President Donald Trump, who alleged Christians are being targeted in Nigeria’s security crisis. Nigerian officials insist both Christians and Muslims are victims of attacks.