130 Kidnapped Students and Staff Released in Nigeria

Nigerian police have announced the release of about 130 students and staff who were kidnapped by armed groups from a Catholic school in Niger state in the central part of the country last month.

News ID: 87066

Date: 22 December 2025 - 09:23

TEHRAN (Defapress) - “The remaining students who were kidnapped have now been released,” Niger state police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said in a statement, according to RT Arabic.

“A total of 130 people, including school staff, have been released,” he added.

Gunmen abducted at least 303 students and 12 teachers on November 21 when they stormed St. Mary’s Catholic School in ​​Niger state.

Officials said 50 escaped in the early hours of the attack, while 100 students were released earlier this month.

“More details will be released later,” Abiodun said of the fate of the 35 students and several teachers, whose condition is still unknown.

In recent years, several states in northern Nigeria have been the scene of a surge in attacks by armed groups, often targeting schools for ransom, raising concerns about the safety of students and the continuity of education.