Nigeria Frees 100 Abducted Schoolchildren, 150 Still Captive

Nigerian authorities have secured the release of 100 schoolchildren abducted by armed gunmen from a Catholic boarding school in northern Nigeria last month, though more than 150 students and staff remain in captivity, according to officials and local reports.

The children, part of a group of 315 students and teachers taken from St. Mary's Catholic School in the Papiri community of Niger State's Agwara district on November 21, arrived in the capital, Abuja, on Sunday. They are scheduled to be handed over to Niger State government officials on Monday for medical evaluations and reunification with their families following a debriefing process. Presidential spokesman Sunday Dare confirmed the release to reporters, while a United Nations source described the handover plans.

The attack occurred in the early morning when gunmen stormed the coeducational boarding school, abducting 303 students aged 10 to 18, including both boys and girls, along with 12 teachers. Shortly after the raid, about 50 students escaped and returned to their families independently, leaving roughly 265 in the kidnappers' hands. With the latest release, officials believe 153 students and the 12 teachers are still...