Good news has come for Niger State in Nigeria. The last 130 schoolchildren have been released. These children were taken from St. Mary's Catholic school last month. Their release ends a difficult time for everyone. This event shows the problems with safety in West Africa. The freed students will soon see their families again.
This rescue happened after 100 students were freed on December 7th. About 50 students escaped the kidnappers earlier. The government says all students are safe. However, they have not shared how the students were freed. Presidential helper Sunday Dare announced the good news on X. He said, "Another 130 abducted Niger state pupils released, none left in captivity."
This kidnapping is part of a sad pattern in Nigeria. Many people are taken in mass abductions. The country has many safety problems. Armed groups, like bandits and extremists, cause trouble. Nigeria's police and army are also not well-equipped. They find it hard to fight all these threats.
The Christian Association of Nigeria said 315 people were taken. President Bola Tinubu's government said 115 people were still held. This difference in numbers is not clear. The kidnapping at St. Mary's school is not the only one. It is the second mass kidnapping in Nigeria in one week. It is also the second in Niger State in four years.
These abductions are sadly not new in Nigeria. In 2014, over 200 girls were taken from Chibok. This event is remembered as a big safety failure. Recent numbers show that from July 2024 to June 2025, many people were kidnapped. Sadly, many people died. Money was also paid to free some of them.
The world watched the situation in Niger State. People were worried about the children. These kidnappings hurt families and Nigeria's safety. The United States has called Nigeria a country of concern. Now that the children are home, people want to fix the safety issues. They want to protect all Nigerians, especially the young ones.