The final group of 130 Nigerian schoolchildren who were kidnapped has been released by the government and is expected to be reunited with their families on Monday in Niger state. This marks the conclusion of a harrowing month-long ordeal that sparked international attention.

Several weeks ago, a group of unidentified armed men abducted hundreds of students and a dozen teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic School, located in the Papiri community of Niger state, not far from Abuja and bordering Benin.

About fifty students managed to escape shortly after the incident, while another group of 100 children was released on December 7.

“Another 130 abducted Niger state pupils released, none left in captivity,” stated presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare in a message shared online on Sunday.

The latest group of children was reportedly freed near Nigeria’s border with Benin. As in previous instances, no official explanation was provided about how their release was secured or which group was responsible for the kidnapping. Other specifics remain unknown.

Kidnappings linked to ransom demands are a significant aspect of the broader security challenges facing Nigeria. Armed groups, often labeled as bandits, operate freely in the rural northern regions, while extremist elements with links to external networks are active in nearby territories. The prevalence of these groups has left remote areas particularly at risk, with security forces often under-resourced.

The abduction in Papiri was the second mass kidnapping to strike Nigeria within a single week and the second major incident in Niger state since the 2021 abduction of 135 students from an Islamic boarding school. The most well-known of such tragedies remains the 2014 Chibok schoolgirl kidnapping in northeastern Nigeria, which triggered a worldwide outcry and drew support from global figures like Michelle Obama and Elton John.

Reports from Lagos-based research firm SBM Intelligence indicate that between July 2024 and June 2025, Nigeria saw no fewer than 4,722 abduction victims, with at least 762 fatalities and a total ransom amounting to approximately $1.66 million.

Amid the worsening security landscape, former U.S. President Donald Trump previously threatened possible military intervention in Nigeria. His administration also labeled the country as one of particular concern, citing incidents of religious violence. Nigerian authorities, however, have rejected such claims, emphasizing the complexity of the crisis and warning against reductive interpretations.

This report includes contributions from Reuters.