The Federal Government has secured the release of the final batch of students and teachers abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State.
They were said to have regained freedom exactly two weeks after 100 students were rescued from the abductors den after the gunmen raided their school, kidnapping the schoolchildren from their hostel.
Gunmen had attacked the remote community on November 21, storming the school around 2 am on motorbikes and operating for nearly three hours.
About 50 pupils managed to escape within the first 24 hours and were reunited with their families, leaving 265 victims in captivity.
Confirming the development on Sunday, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to president Bola Tinubu, disclosed that the release of the 130 victims follow a military-intelligence driven operation.
He added that they rescued schoolchildren are expected to arrive Minna on Monday and reunite with their family and friends for the Christmas celebration.
According to him, “The remaining 130 schoolchildren abducted by terrorists at St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, on November 21, have now been released. They are expected to arrive in Minna on Monday and rejoin their parents for the Christmas celebration.
“One hundred were released earlier by the terrorists, taking the total of freed students to 230. The freedom of the schoolchildren followed a military-intelligence driven operation.
