Eleven more children abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, have been rescued, bringing fresh hope to families still waiting for the safe return of their loved ones. The latest development was confirmed by officials of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Niger State, who said the children were recovered through ongoing rescue efforts coordinated by security agencies and local volunteers.
According to CAN, the newly freed pupils are part of the group of over 300 students and staff seized when armed men invaded the Catholic school in a pre‑dawn raid. The association explained that the 11 children were found in separate locations after reportedly being abandoned or escaping from their captors during intensified military operations in the area. Officials noted that the rescued children were immediately taken for medical checks and psychological support before being reunited with their families.
CAN leaders expressed gratitude for the rescue but stressed that the mission is far from over, as hundreds of students and teachers are still in captivity. They urged the Federal Government and security agencies to sustain and intensify the operation until every child and staff member is safely freed, insisting that “no effort should be spared and no child must be left behind.” Church officials also appealed to Nigerians to continue praying and to avoid spreading unverified information that could jeopardise the safety of those still held by the gunmen.
Security sources say the latest breakthrough resulted from a combination of ground operations and intelligence‑led tracking of the kidnappers’ movements across forested areas bordering Niger and neighbouring states. However, they cautioned that the terrain and the practice of splitting hostages into smaller groups have complicated rescue efforts. Parents of the missing children have renewed calls for stronger protection of schools, warning that repeated attacks are destroying the education system and traumatising an entire generation of Nigerian children.
Human rights advocates and education campaigners have again demanded concrete measures such as better fencing and security in rural schools, rapid‑response units dedicated to school protection, and full accountability for officials who fail in their duty of care. For now, the return of 11 more pupils has provided a rare moment of relief in a grim saga, even as anxious families and the wider nation await the safe return of those still in the hands of armed abductors.
