100 children abducted from school in Nigeria released
More than 100 students remain in captivity after gunmen attacked the St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri community on November 21.
A total of 100 of the children abducted from a Nigerian Catholic school last month have been released, the Christian Association of Nigeria has said.
At least 303 children were seized at the Niger state school together with 12 of their teachers when gunmen attacked the St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri community on November 21.
Fifty escaped in the hours that followed and more than 100 students remain in captivity.
Daniel Atori, a spokesman for the association in Niger state, told The Associated Press that the church learned the children were released during the weekend and that they will be taken to Niger state’s capital of Minna to meet with officials.
It was not immediately clear how the 100 children were freed or if any arrests were made.
No group has claimed responsibility for the abductions but locals blamed the armed gangs that target schools and travellers in kidnappings for ransoms across Nigeria’s conflict-battered north.
The Niger state attack was among a spate of recent mass abductions in Nigeria and happened four days after 25 schoolchildren were seized in similar circumstances in neighbouring Kebbi state’s Maga town. A church in the southern Kwara state was also attacked around the same time; the 38 worshippers abducted in that attack last month have been freed.
Under pressure at home and from US President Donald Trump – who has alleged that Christians are being targeted in Nigeria’s security crisis – Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has promised he will not relent until all hostages are freed.
Nigerian authorities usually provide limited information about rescue efforts and arrests in such cases are rare. Analysts believe that is because ransoms are usually paid. Officials do not admit to payment of ransoms.
