Nigeria secures launch of 100 kidnapped schoolchildren as 165 stay in captivity

[ad_1] Nigerian authorities have secured the discharge of 100 kidnapped schoolchildren taken by gunmen from a Catholic college final month, a UN supply and native media mentioned Sunday, although the destiny of the 165 college students and employees thought to stay in captivity stays unclear.

In late November 315 college students and employees had been kidnapped from St. Mary's co-educational boarding college in north-central Niger state, because the nation buckled below a wave of mass abductions paying homage to the notorious 2014 Boko Haram abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok.

Some 50 escaped shortly afterward, leaving 265 regarded as in captivity. The 100 youngsters have arrived within the capital Abuja and are set to be handed over to native authorities officers in Niger state on Monday, in line with the United Nations supply.

"They're going to be handed over to Niger state authorities tomorrow," the supply advised AFP.

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<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/bd738d9e-cf63-11f0-8f63-005056a97e36/w:1280/p:16x9/capture-1830234109692eb5651a5fa7-86072305.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/bd738d9e-cf63-11f0-8f63-005056a97e36/w:388/p:16x9/capture-1830234109692eb5651a5fa7-86072305.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/bd738d9e-cf63-11f0-8f63-005056a97e36/w:720/p:16x9/capture-1830234109692eb5651a5fa7-86072305.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/bd738d9e-cf63-11f0-8f63-005056a97e36/w:1024/p:16x9/capture-1830234109692eb5651a5fa7-86072305.jpg 1024w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/bd738d9e-cf63-11f0-8f63-005056a97e36/w:1280/p:16x9/capture-1830234109692eb5651a5fa7-86072305.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) calc(100vw - 32px), (max-width: 1076px) calc(100vw - 44px), 850px" width="1280" height="720" alt="THE DEBATE" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> THE DEBATE © FRANCE 24 Native media additionally reported that the discharge of 100 youngsters had been secured, with out providing particulars on whether or not it was completed by way of negotiation or army drive -- nor on the destiny of the remaining college students and employees thought to nonetheless be within the kidnappers' fingers.

The liberating of the 100 youngsters was confirmed to AFP by presidential spokesman Sunday Dare.

"We've been praying and ready for his or her return, whether it is true then it's a cheering information," mentioned Daniel Atori, spokesman for Bishop Bulus Yohanna of the Kontagora diocese which runs the college.

"Nevertheless, we're not formally conscious and haven't been duly notified by the federal authorities."

US diplomatic stress Although kidnappings for ransom are frequent within the nation as a means for criminals and armed teams to make fast money, a spate of mass abductions in November put an uncomfortable highlight on Nigeria's already grim safety state of affairs.

The nation faces a long-running jihadist insurgency within the northeast, whereas armed "bandit" gangs conduct kidnappings and loot villages within the northwest.

In November, assailants throughout the nation kidnapped two dozen Muslim schoolgirls, 38 church worshippers, a bride and her bridesmaids, farmers, girls and youngsters all taken hostage.

It's unclear who was behind the St. Mary's kidnapping.

The kidnappings additionally got here as Nigeria faces a diplomatic offensive from the US, the place President Donald Trump has alleged that mass killings of Christians have amounted to a "genocide" and threatened to intervene militarily.

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<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/38dcc022-ca00-11f0-af38-005056bfb2b6/w:1280/p:16x9/EN-20251125-133755-134019-CS.jpg" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/38dcc022-ca00-11f0-af38-005056bfb2b6/w:388/p:16x9/EN-20251125-133755-134019-CS.jpg 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/38dcc022-ca00-11f0-af38-005056bfb2b6/w:720/p:16x9/EN-20251125-133755-134019-CS.jpg 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/38dcc022-ca00-11f0-af38-005056bfb2b6/w:1024/p:16x9/EN-20251125-133755-134019-CS.jpg 1024w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/38dcc022-ca00-11f0-af38-005056bfb2b6/w:1280/p:16x9/EN-20251125-133755-134019-CS.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) calc(100vw - 32px), (max-width: 1076px) calc(100vw - 44px), 850px" width="1280" height="720" alt="" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> © France 24 The Nigerian authorities and impartial analysts have rejected that framing, which has lengthy been utilized by the Christian proper in the US and Europe.

The religiously numerous nation of 230 million folks is the scene of myriad conflicts -- together with farmer-herder clashes within the centre and separatist violence within the southeast -- which have killed each Christians and Muslims.

Kidnapping 'business' One of many first mass kidnappings that drew worldwide consideration was in 2014, when practically 300 women had been snatched from their boarding college within the northeastern city of Chibok by Boko Haram jihadists.

A decade later, Nigeria's kidnap-for-ransom disaster has "consolidated right into a structured, profit-seeking business" that raised some $1.66 million between July 2024 and June 2025, in line with a latest report by SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based consultancy.

Some analysts have nervous that Trump's latest feedback may need emboldened armed teams, whereas others identified that mass kidnappings have are available in waves earlier than.

A neighborhood authorities official in Nigeria's japanese Borno state in the meantime advised AFP armed teams is perhaps making an attempt to carry captives as potential human shields in case the US follows by way of on its risk of airstrikes.