The Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, has received the remaining abducted students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area of the state. They were handed over to the governor by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu who said: “President Bola Tinubu prioritised their rescue”.

Most of the children released this time are far younger than the earlier 100 rescued and presented to the governor on December 8. In the early hours of Friday, November 21, 315 children and teachers were abducted, however, 50 of them were able to escape from their abductors.

While speaking at a brief ceremony at Government House Minna, the NSA, who was represented by the National Coordinator Centre for Counter Terrorism, Abuja Major General Adamu Garba Laka, explained that the rescue mission coordinated by office of the NSA succeeded through the combined efforts of security agencies including the Nigerian

Army, the Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) According to him: “The Federal Government is committed to protecting the lives and properties of citizens by coming up with reforms to tackle future situations.

“The Federal Government will implement short time measures in high risk areas by involving community leaders to provide safety for all”. In an interaction with one of the teachers (name withheld), he said: “All I can say now is that God has heard our prayers and I know everyone has been praying for us too.

“We kept saying one prayer, that God should help so that we can be reunited with our families and spend Christmas with them.” While responding, Governor Bago thanked President Tinubu and the office of the NSA along with other security agencies for ensuring the safe return of all the kidnapped students and teachers.

Bago further described the rescue of the students and their teachers as unprecedented, saying: “To get everyone back like this in the country is a thing to thank God for.”