The month-long nightmare for the community of Papiri has come to an end following the release of the final group of students and teachers abducted from St Mary’s Catholic Private Primary and Secondary School, as reported by Premium Times on Sunday.
Local security sources and residents confirmed on Sunday that the remaining captives were freed in a forested area, marking the conclusion of one of the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria’s recent history.
The group, consisting of approximately 115 students and several staff members, was reportedly moved toward Minna, the Niger State capital.
This follows a traumatic period that began in the early hours of November 21, 2025, when armed bandits on motorcycles stormed the school's boarding facilities and seized over 300 people.
The Niger State Government and federal authorities have not yet issued a formal confirmation or statement regarding the specific details of the release.
The path to freedom for the 315 initial abductees occurred in stages. Fifty students famously escaped into the bush shortly after the raid, while another 100 were secured and received by Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago on December 8.
