Nigerian authorities have confirmed the release of 130 schoolchildren who were abducted in Niger state last month, according to a statement issued Sunday by President Bola Tinubu’s office.
A presidential spokesperson said the children were freed following a “military-intelligence driven operation” and are expected to arrive in the state capital, Minna, on Monday.
The students were taken on 21 November during a mass kidnapping at a Catholic boarding school in Papiri village, where more than 300 people were abducted. Some victims escaped shortly after the attack, while another group of 100 was released earlier this month. However, 35 students and teachers remain missing, and authorities said further information would be shared later.
In a separate social media post, another spokesperson for the president stated that all students have now been released, though details remain unclear.
The kidnapping is among the most serious in Nigeria in recent years and has drawn renewed attention to the deteriorating security situation in the country’s north. Armed groups regularly target schools and students, often seeking ransom payments.
President Tinubu has faced growing domestic pressure over insecurity, as well as criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has accused Nigeria of failing to adequately protect Christian communities.
Nigerian officials typically release limited information about rescue operations, and arrests linked to such cases are uncommon. Security analysts say this is partly because ransoms are often paid, although authorities rarely acknowledge this publicly.
