Kidnapped Catholic school pupils will return “soon” – Ribadu

Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, told officials of St Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State on Monday that the hundreds of children abducted from the boarding school would be home “soon.”

The kidnapping occurred on November 21 when armed gangs seized more than 300 pupils, teachers and staff from St Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwarra Local Government Area of Niger State. The attackers, described by security sources as “bandits,” took the children to an undisclosed location.

During a high‑profile visit to the town of Kontagora, Ribadu said: “The children are fine and will be back soon.” He added that the children “are where they are and will come back safely.” The remarks were relayed by Daniel Atori, spokesman for the bishop who heads the Catholic archdiocese that owns the school.

Ribadu did not provide further details about the children’s current location or the status of government operations to secure their release. He was accompanied on the visit by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the Director‑General of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The St Mary’s abduction is the latest in a series of mass kidnappings that have plagued Nigeria in recent months. In November alone, hundreds of people were taken in separate incidents across the country. Earlier in the year, gunmen seized 25 students—all Muslim—from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in neighbouring Kebbi State. Fifty of the St Mary’s pupils have since escaped their captors, while the Kebbi students were released through what the state governor described as “non‑kinetic” efforts.

Mass kidnappings have become a persistent security challenge since the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls abduction, which involved the Boko Haram jihadist group. Today, kidnapping is often carried out by armed groups known as “bandits” and has evolved into a structured, profit‑seeking industry, generating millions of dollars in ransom payments, according to Lagos‑based consultancy SBM Intelligence.

The United States has recently launched a diplomatic offensive against Nigeria, accusing the government of mass killings of Christians. Nigerian officials and independent analysts have rejected this framing, emphasizing the complexity of the conflict and the need for a nuanced approach.

In response to the St Mary’s kidnapping, the Senate has opened a probe into alleged failures of a $30 million “Safe Schools” initiative. The Niger State government has assured the public that efforts are underway to secure the safe release of the abducted students.