Nigeria Secures Release of 100 Schoolchildren Kidnapped From St. Mary’s School

The Nigerian government has secured the release of 100 pupils who were abducted last month from St. Mary’s School in Papiri, Niger State, local broadcaster Channels Television reported.

The children were taken on Nov. 21. Channels Television announced the release on Sunday, though officials have not yet provided a detailed breakdown of how many detainees remain in captivity following the negotiated release.

Earlier reporting from the BBC, citing Mary Barron, superior general of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA), said as many as 303 children had initially been reported kidnapped. Barron described the victims as "tiny," with some children as young as six years old.

According to Barron, about 50 students managed to escape during the first weekend after the abduction. "They said they walked and walked, because they knew they couldn't walk back to the school, so they just kept walking until they found something familiar," she said.

At the time of the earlier reports, roughly 253 students and 12 teachers were believed to remain in captivity; it is unclear how many of those are included in the current release. Authorities and local media continue to seek confirmation on the whereabouts and status of any remaining hostages.

International Reaction and U.S. Response

The incident has drawn international concern about attacks on civilians and religious communities in Nigeria. U.S. officials publicly criticized the Nigerian government's handling of the violence. President Donald Trump told Fox News Radio shortly after the kidnappings that he was "really angry" and described the situation as "a disgrace."

U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Nigeria’s national security adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to discuss the possibility of conditioning aid if violence against civilians, including attacks on Christians, continues. A Pentagon statement said Hegseth urged Nigeria to take urgent and lasting action to halt such violence and emphasized U.S. willingness to work with Nigeria to deter and degrade groups that threaten both countries.

Reporters from Reuters and Fox News Digital contributed to coverage of the incident.