Nigerireports Release of 100 Kidnapped Children from School. Abuja, Nigeria — 2025-12-08 Nigerian authorities have confirmed the release of 100 children, among the hundreds abducted from a Catholic school in northern Nigeria last month, according to reports from reports news agency and local media.
The 100 children were said to have arrived in the nation’s capital, Abuja, and were scheduled to be handed over to local government officials in Niger State on Monday, an unnamed United Nations source told reports.
The reports newspaper also reported that the rescued children are receiving medical evaluations and will be reunited with their families following a debriefing.
The incident involved the abduction of 303 students and 12 teachers from St Mary’s School in the Papiri community of Niger State’s Agwara district on November 21.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) reported that the abducted students were aged between 10 to 18 years, both male and female.
Following the release of 100 students, 153 students and 12 teachers are believed to remain in captivity.
Additionally, 25 schoolgirls were abducted from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Kebbi State’s Maga town, 170km away.
The Kontagora diocese, which runs the school, expressed relief over the news of the children’s release, but emphasized that they were not officially notified by the federal government.
This incident is considered one of the worst kidnappings in Nigeria since over 270 girls from Chibok town were abducted in 2014. Since 2014, more than 1,400 Nigerian students have been kidnapped in nearly a dozen separate incidents.
The recent abductions follow comments by United States President Donald Trump, who alleged that Nigeria’s Christians are facing genocide.
Local officials and Christian groups have questioned this claim, stating that people of all faiths have been affected by ongoing violence in parts of the country.
The situation in Nigeria, a country of over 200 million people divided between the largely Muslim north and mostly Christian south, remains tense.
According to Pew Research Center estimates, Muslims make up 56 percent of Nigeria’s population, while Christians make up just over 43 percent.
Further details regarding the ongoing situation are expected to be released in the coming days.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
