According to local authorities, 100 Catholic schoolchildren who were abducted in a raid on a school in the country’s north have been freed.

The students were among 303 pupils and 12 staff members taken by gunmen on November 21, 2025, from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Nigeria.

According to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the 100 students were released on December 7, 2025.

The abduction was one of several attacks on schools in Nigeria in recent years, with bandits often targeting students and staff for ransom.

CAN called for the release of all abducted students, saying the freed pupils had been in captivity for over two weeks.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu vowed to secure the release of all remaining abductees, saying no effort would be spared to bring them home safely

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