- 51 Niger pupils return home
- I won’t relent, says Tinubu
Thirty-eight worshippers abducted last week from Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Eruku, Kwara State, have been freed, following days of intensified security operations.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who confirmed the development in a post on his verified X handle, @officialABAT, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to securing every Nigerian.
He said he had closely monitored the rescue efforts and coordinated the security response after cancelling his scheduled trip to the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“You will recall that I cancelled my trip to the G20 Summit in South Africa to enable me to coordinate the security efforts at home.
“Thanks to the efforts of our security forces over the last few days, all the 38 worshippers abducted in Eruku, Kwara State, have been rescued,” the President said.
President Tinubu also disclosed that 51 pupils abducted from a Catholic school in Niger State had reunited with their families.
He said he had remained in constant communication with operational commanders and was tracking nationwide security updates.
Reiterating his determination, the President declared: “Let me be clear: I will not relent. Every Nigerian, in every state, has the right to safety, and under my watch, we will secure this nation and protect our people.”
He commended security forces for their sacrifices and assured that the government would further strengthen intelligence gathering, rapid-response capability and inter-agency coordination in the fight against terrorism, banditry and other violent threats.
The rescue in Kwara and the partial recovery of the abducted Niger pupils came amid growing anxiety over recent abductions in the Northwest and Northcentral regions.
The President had, in response, ordered reinforcements, escalated counter-terrorism operations and enhanced aerial surveillance.
Kwara governor: we are excited, thankful
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in a statement by his spokesman, Rafiu Ajakaye, confirmed that all 38 abductees from CAC Eruku had regained freedom.
“After many days of hard work by security forces and government representatives, we are excited to announce the freedom of 38 persons who were recently abducted in an attack on Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Eruku.
“The abductees were freed today,” the statement reads.
The governor expressed “immense gratitude” to President Tinubu for his personal involvement, which he said played a major role in the successful rescue.
51 pupils reunite with families in Niger
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Kontagora, Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, said 51 pupils of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, escaped from their abductors and were safely back with their families.
He said some parents visited the school to report that their children had found their way home, while others were confirmed during visits by school staff to affected communities.
Providing details of the school population, the Bishop said the primary section has 430 pupils – 377 boarders and 53 non-boarders.
“Aside from the 51 pupils that escaped and have returned home, we have 141 pupils who were not carried away.
“As it stands now, we have 236 pupils, another three children who belong to our staff, 14 secondary pupils, making a total of 253 children, including 12 staff members, with the abductors,” he said.
Rev. Yohanna, who is also Chairman of the Niger State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), urged Nigerians to remain prayerful.
“While we received the news of the return of these 51 children with some sigh of relief, I urge you all to continue your prayers for the safe return of the remaining victims,” he said, and assured that the church is working with security agencies, community leaders and government officials toward their rescue.
Bago: It was no mass abduction
Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago disputed reports that the school attack was a straightforward case of abduction.
According to him, the situation should be viewed as a case of missing persons rather than kidnapped pupils.
“There was a scare, sporadic gunshots, and the children ran because they were targeted,” the governor explained in a television interview.
“From the Google imagery, there was no mass movement of people, but people running up and down.”
He confirmed that some of the children had returned home and assured that efforts were underway to locate the others.
The governor appealed for calm and promised that security agencies would leave no stone unturned to ensure the safe return of all pupils.
Pope calls for their release
Pope Leo XIV called for the immediate release of the abducted pupils and staff of the Catholic school.
Speaking at the end of Mass at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican yesterday, the Pontiff expressed deep sorrow over the incident.
“I feel great sorrow, especially for the many girls and boys who have been abducted and for their anguished families,” he said.
He made a “heartfelt appeal for the immediate release of the hostages” and urged relevant authorities to take “appropriate and timely decisions” for their safe return.
DHQ probes withdrawal of troops
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) reassured Nigerians that the military is mobilising all available resources to secure the release of the pupils abducted in Kebbi and Niger States and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
In a statement by the Director of Defence, Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, the DHQ said the military was fully engaged in ongoing rescue missions.
“Our thoughts remain with the pupils, their families, and the communities affected by this incident,” the statement noted.
The DHQ also said it had begun investigating claims that troops stationed at the Kebbi school were withdrawn 30 minutes before the attack, as alleged by the governor.
“Regarding the allegation made by the Executive Governor of Kebbi State that the terrorists struck 30 minutes after troops were withdrawn from the school, the Defence Headquarters is aware of this claim.
“In line with our standard procedure, a thorough review is currently underway to ascertain the circumstances surrounding troop deployment and movements in the area at the time of the incident,” the statement said.
It added that rescuing the abducted pupils remains a top priority, and troops are “actively on the ground pursuing actionable intelligence.”
Niger Reps, Senators pledge support
The Niger State caucus in the National Assembly condemned the incident and said no child in the state must be left at the mercy of terror.
It called for urgent collaborative efforts to ensure the safe return of all abducted pupils.
In a statement by Senators Mohammed Musa, Abubakar Bello and Peter Jiya, and members of the House of Representatives from the state, the caucus warned that the situation mirrors the broader national security crisis.
“As representatives of the good people of Niger State… we strongly condemn this criminal attack and reaffirm our collective resolve to work with security agencies to ensure the safe and immediate rescue of the abducted pupils,” the statement said.
The lawmakers demanded enhanced security presence in flashpoint areas, improved intelligence gathering, rapid-response strategies, and deeper inter-agency collaboration.
They also called for strong Federal Government support for the efforts of Governor Bago in restoring normalcy.
Troops arrest notorious kidnapper in Taraba
In a separate development, troops of the 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, under Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), arrested a notorious kidnapper, Umar Geyi, in Jandei-Kulamu, Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The suspect was arrested on November 22, following credible intelligence, according to a statement by the Brigade’s spokesperson, Lieutenant Umar Muhammad.
Geyi, who had been on the wanted list of security agencies, is believed to be a key member of a kidnapping syndicate responsible for multiple attacks in the area.
He is linked to the abduction of one Alhaji Jano, a Fulani resident of Jandei-Kulala, on November 13.
“Geyi was arrested after troops intercepted him during a phone conversation in which he confirmed the victim was still being held and demanded a ransom of N20 million,” the statement said.
The suspect is currently in custody, undergoing interrogation aimed at locating the victim and dismantling the network.
