Hundreds of children abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwarra LGA, Niger State, on November 21, 2025, are expected to return safely, according to National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

• Incident details: Armed gangs kidnapped over 300 teachers, staff, and pupils. So far, 50 students have escaped.
• Ribadu’s statement: “The children are fine and will be back soon.” No details were provided about their current location or the method of securing their release.
• Context: Kidnappings by armed groups, often termed “bandits,” have become a structured, profit-driven industry in Nigeria. Recent weeks have seen multiple abductions, including 25 students from Kebbi State, who were released through “non-kinetic” measures.
• Government response: Ribadu visited school officials in Kontagora alongside a delegation including the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the DSS Director-General. Military action and negotiation – sometimes with suspected ransom payments – have historically been used to secure the release of kidnapped children.

The incident adds to Nigeria’s ongoing challenge of mass school kidnappings, a problem highlighted since the 2014 Chibok girls abduction.