By Desmond Nleya
A hundred schoolchildren freed after being abducted in northern Nigeria last month were welcomed home on Monday at a ceremony in Minna, the capital of Niger state.
The students and their parents were received by officials at Niger Government House.
No details of their release, or their time in captivity, have been made public.
At least 303 schoolchildren were seized in Niger State together with 12 of their teachers when gunmen attacked St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri community on 21 November. Fifty escaped in the hours that followed, and at least 150 are still held.
“Today is fundamental and very, very important to redefining the history of this state,” Mohammed Umar Bago, Niger State Governor, said as he addressed the families at Monday’s ceremony.
“I want to thank Mr. President for giving us all the necessary input to rescue these children. For those that have been praying, continue to pray. We wish to recover the remaining students that are still in captivity, and by the grace of God, in a very short time from now, we’re going to record it, inshallah.”
The Pipiri kidnapping is the latest of a series of mass abductions in northern Nigeria. No group has claimed responsibility but locals blamed armed gangs that target schools for ransom.
Earlier in November, 25 schoolchildren were abducted in similar circumstances in neighboring Kebbi state. A church in the southern Kwara state was also attacked around the same time—the 38 worshipers seized in that attack last month have also been freed.
Nigerian authorities usually do not say much about rescue efforts, and arrests in such cases are rare. Analysts say that’s because ransoms are usually paid. Officials do not admit payment of ransoms.
Under pressure at home and from US President Donald Trump—who has alleged that Christians are being targeted in Nigeria’s security crisis—Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has promised he will not stop until all hostages are freed.
