Nigeria confirms release of all schoolchildren kidnapped on Nov. 21st – Catholic World Report

As the Christmas season begins, the Catholic community of Kontagora Diocese in Nigeria has a double reason to celebrate. On Monday, December 22nd, they received what the Local Ordinary of the Diocese, Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna described as a Christmas gift: the release of the remaining 130 children who were kidnapped on November 21, 2025, from the St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School, in Papiri, Niger State.

In total, 303 students and 12 staff members were abducted at the school on November 21. About fifty of the students managed to escape shortly after the kidnapping. Last month, the first group of students, totaling a hundred, was released.

Authorities now say the release of the other 130 means none of those kidnapped at the school is still held.

The children were successfully rescued through a coordinated operation led by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the DSS, traditional rulers, the Armed Forces, and other security agencies.

Bishop Yohanna has expressed gratitude to all who worked to secure their release.

“I am deeply grateful to God for his providence and protection during this extremely difficult period. The Catholic Diocese of Kontagora rejoices in confirming the safe release of the second batch of children abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools – Papri. This development is a testimony to answered prayers and the power of faith in sustaining hope amidst fear and uncertainty,” said Bishop Yohanna in an interview with Vatican News.

Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles, who manage the school, have welcomed the release of the students and staff, saying in a Facebook post that they were overly grateful to all those who worked to secure their release.

“We thank God for the release of the remaining abducted children and staff of St Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri,” the group said. “Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and efforts. May God grant lasting peace and security to our country and to the world at large.”

Father Jatau Luka Joseph, the Secretary of the Diocese, also acknowledged the efforts of those who helped secure the children’s freedom.

“We also extend our sincere appreciation to the parents, guardians, clergy, religious communities, humanitarian organizations and the wider public for their prayers, support and solidarity throughout this challenging period,” the priest said. “The Catholic diocese of Kontagora remains committed to the protection, welfare and safety of all pupils, students and staff and will continue to collaborate with all relevant authorities to ensure a secure and conducive learning environment.”

The Nigerian Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, extended the government’s sympathy to the families of the students who went through a month of pain and anguish.

“The federal government empathizes with the parents and guardians of the pupils for the agony the abduction has caused them, and wishes them a pleasant family reunion, a good healing process, compliments of the season, and a Merry Christmas,” Idris said.

Even before the release of the children, Bishop Yohanna, in his Christmas message, had said the return of the children would be “the best gift” the Church could receive at Christmas.

“Just as the 2025 theme, ‘Heaven’s Greatest Gifts,’ the best gift the church can expect this year is to receive our children and the teachers still in captivity before Christmas Day,” he said.

 “At these times of trial, where most parents can no longer sleep or eat, let us extend our love by continuing in prayers, because it is over four weeks now that the incident occurred,” he said just two days before all children were released.

Kidnappings remain a national crisis

Despite the release of the children, kidnapping in Nigeria is still a national crisis. According to SBM Intelligence, the crisis has deepened into a multi-billion-naira industry.

“Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis has evolved into a lucrative criminal enterprise, with N2.56 billion ($1.66 million) confirmed in ransom payments and 4,722 civilians abducted in just one year. The Northwest remains the most violent, while the Southeast and South-South face targeted religious abductions and financial extortion,” states an August 2025 report titled “Locust Business: The Economics of Nigeria’s Kidnap Industry – A 2025 Update.”

It’s unclear whether the release of the Catholic school children was predicated upon a ransom payment. But their release in no way means kidnapping is not a pervasive issue in Africa’s most populous nation, with clergy increasingly a prized target.

An ongoing study being carried out by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria indicates that between 2015 and 2025, at least 212 Catholic priests were kidnapped in Nigeria.

The study specifically cites the cases of Father John Bako Shekwolo, Father Pascal Bobbo, Father Emmanuel Ezema, and Father Joseph Igweagu, who remain in captivity as part of a devastating wave of abductions targeting Nigeria’s clergy.

The research that covers at least 41 of the country’s 59 Catholic dioceses documents 212 kidnappings, resulting in 15 confirmed deaths.

Aid to the Church in Need says the findings align with its 2025 report, which identifies Nigeria as exceptionally dangerous for religious leaders. The full scale of the crisis is unknown, as data from 18 dioceses is still missing and the report does not include incidents from religious orders and congregations.

The study further reveals that the kidnapping crisis is most severe in the Okigwe diocese, which reported a staggering 47 cases, far surpassing Port Harcourt (14) and Nsukka (13).

While kidnappings are widespread, the loss of life is most concentrated in the Archdiocese of Kaduna, which has mourned the murder of four priests in the last decade. Kafanchan and Minna follow with two fatalities each.