Niger Bishop.webp
The Digest:

The Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, has confirmed the release of all remaining pupils and teachers abducted from St. Mary’s Private Catholic School in Niger State, following a direct call from Governor Umaru Bago. The freed individuals are expected to arrive in Minna on Monday for a formal reception, marking the end of a traumatic month-long captivity that began with a large-scale attack in November.

Key Points:
  • Bishop Yohanna, the school’s proprietor, received the news personally from Governor Bago
  • The exact number of those released was not immediately disclosed
  • This confirmation aligns with the Presidency’s earlier announcement of 130 children freed
  • Over 300 pupils and staff were initially kidnapped by gunmen on over 60 motorcycles
  • The school’s gatekeeper was shot and seriously injured during the attack
  • 50 children had earlier escaped captivity, and 100 were released in early December
  • The children will be formally received at the Niger State Government House in Minna
  • Further details are expected upon their arrival and handover
As families prepare to reunite, this confirmation brings a long-awaited closure to a national ordeal, a quiet, solemn end to a storm that shook not just a school, but the conscience of a nation.

Sources: Channels TV, The Nation