One hundred students abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, have been rescued and formally handed over to the state government.
The handover took place at the Government House in Minna around 5:30 pm on Monday.
Security sources told The Nation that the children were rescued from Wawa Forest in Borgu by security agencies on Sunday night at approximately 7 pm.
Abdullahi Idi Hong, representing the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, said the rescue followed a two-week intensive operation coordinated by the NSA.
He highlighted the critical role played by the Department of State Services (DSS), the armed forces, and other security agencies in ensuring the success of the operation.
“In the past two weeks, an intense operation coordinated by the office of the NSA, DSS, armed forces, and security agencies has resulted in the rescue of 100 children taken by criminals. The DSS played a crucial role in the success of this mission,” Hong stated.
He added that the government would continue to implement measures to protect communities and institutions nationwide, including protective shutdowns in high-risk areas and collaboration with state governments, traditional leaders, and religious authorities.
Hong emphasised that education “must not be a casualty of violence” and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding Nigerian children’s rights.
Niger State Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago thanked President Bola Tinubu for mobilising the rescue teams and expressed gratitude to the NSA and all involved. He called for prayers for the remaining children yet to be rescued.
Governor Bago described the emotional impact of seeing the rescued children, saying, “I am emotionally broken down because I saw their sizes and their ages. I never imagined the abducted children were so young.”
“For those who have been praying, continue praying so that we recover the remaining children in captivity. In the short time from now, we will recover them”, Bago urged, assuring parents that the rest of the children would be safely rescued soon.
He said that medical and health workers have been called to examine the children thoroughly before reuniting them with families, noting close coordination with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for their safe return.
Due to the late information about the movement of the rescued children and the reluctance in several quarters to confirm the rescue, only a few parents could not make it to the handover ceremony.
Among the parents, reactions were mixed. Elizabeth Samuel, whose daughter was among the rescued, expressed overwhelming joy: “I had lost all hope, and I thank God that the government intervened and rescued them. I pray that the others are rescued as this one was.”
In contrast, Marcus Philip Abuka, who was optimistic that his daughter was among those rescued, was sad that his daughter remains captive. Sharing his distress, Abuka said, “I wasn’t happy since the incident happened because my daughter is among the abductees. I am still unhappy because she is not among those rescued, but I pray the government will do something to rescue the others.”
He appreciated the efforts made to rescue the children by the federal and state governments, expressing optimism that others will be rescued soon.
