About 100 schoolchildren kidnapped from a Catholic school in Niger State last month were yesterday received by Governor Umar Bago, a day after authorities secured their release.
The pupils, many in football jerseys and long gowns, arrived at the Government House, Minna, in white buses escorted by military vans and armoured vehicles. They were formally handed over to state officials before being ushered into a hall where the emir and other stakeholders awaited them.
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Their release, facilitated by the Federal Government on Tuesday night, follows two weeks in captivity. According to a list sighted by AFP, most of the freed children are between 10 and 17 years old, though the school also admits nursery-age pupils.
Despite the breakthrough, dozens of the 315 students and staff abducted during the raid on the rural Papiri community remain unaccounted for. At least 50 others fled shortly after the attack.
Speaking as he welcomed the children, Governor Bago commended the efforts of security agencies and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to securing the remaining captives.
It remains unclear who carried out the abduction or the precise conditions under which the 100 were freed. Kidnappings for ransom have become a recurring security challenge, with a recent surge in mass abductions again highlighting Nigeria’s fragile security landscape.
