About 100 children who were abducted from a Catholic school in central Nigeria last month have been released, authorities say.
Niger state's police chief, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, and Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, who is in charge of the school as the local leader of the Catholic church, both confirmed to the BBC that they had received confirmation of the students' release.
The government’s Office of the National Security Adviser has informed them that the children would be reunited with their parents starting from Monday.
This release follows the abduction of more than 250 students and 12 staff from St Mary's Catholic school in Papiri, an incident that has sent shockwaves through the nation amid a rising trend of mass abductions.
While details about the release remain unclear—including whether it was secured through negotiation or force—Nasarawa state's governor indicated that the federal government played a crucial role, although the specifics of these efforts have not been disclosed for security reasons.
Last week, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu visited Papiri to meet with Bishop Yohanna, assuring them that the children would soon be rescued.
Attacks on schools and places of worship in Nigeria have increased recently, triggering concern. The attack on St Mary's followed closely on the heels of earlier mass kidnappings, including an attack on the Christ Apostolic Church in Kwara state and an abduction of Muslim students in Kebbi state.
Despite an ongoing security crisis in Nigeria, a presidential spokesman claimed that many of the abductions are linked to jihadist groups, while analysts suggest that criminal gangs are primarily behind the kidnappings, often for ransom.
In a challenging climate marked by a severe security vacuum, Nigerian officials continue to grapple with the complexities of ensuring citizens' safety amid such violent trends.
