Nigerian authorities have secured the release of 100 schoolchildren kidnapped from a Catholic school last month, though 165 students and staff remain in captivity, a UN source and local media reported on Sunday.
The children were abducted from St Mary's co-educational boarding school in north-central Niger state in November, part of a wave of mass kidnappings that has highlighted Nigeria's security crisis. Of the 315 students and staff originally taken, about 50 escaped shortly after the attack.
The 100 children are expected to be handed over to local government officials in Niger state on Monday, according to the UN source. Presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare confirmed the release to AFP, but details on whether it was secured through negotiation or military force remain unclear.
Daniel Atori, spokesperson for Bishop Bulus Yohanna of the Kontagora diocese which runs the school, expressed cautious optimism. 'We have been praying and waiting for their return, if it is true then it is a cheering news,' he said, but noted the diocese had not been officially notified by the federal government.
Kidnappings for ransom have become a lucrative industry in Nigeria, with armed groups and criminal gangs targeting schools and communities. A recent report by SBM Intelligence estimated that such kidnappings raised about $1.66m (£1.24m) between July 2024 and June 2025.
