Authorities rescue 100 kidnapped school children

Around 100 schoolchildren abducted in a mass kidnapping in Niger state have been released, reports Modern Diplomacy which quoted Channels Television. The attack on St. Mary’s Catholic boarding school in Papiri on 21 November as one of Nigeria’s worst school abductions in years. A total of 303 children and 12 staff were seized by gunmen; only 50 pupils managed to escape shortly after the attack. Until Sunday, there had been no information on the fate of the remaining children some reportedly as young as six. The incident highlights Nigeria’s ongoing security crisis more than a decade after the Chibok abductions, raising renewed concerns about the safety of schools in the country’s northwest. It also comes amid heightened scrutiny from US President Donald Trump over Nigeria’s alleged mistreatment of Christians, adding geopolitical pressure as Abuja tries to reassure international partners about its internal security response. Despite reports of the release, Niger state authorities and the Christian Association of Nigeria said they had not been formally informed. The federal government has not issued a statement, and Channels TV has yet to provide details on how the release occurred.