Niger state schools set to reopen after November mass abduction
The November kidnapping of over 250 students and staff from St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri was one of Nigeria’s largest school abductions, though officials confirmed that all hostages were rescued before Christmas. The government has not disclosed whether ransom payments were made.
Kidnappings and attacks by armed criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, have surged in western and central Nigeria in recent years, targeting schools, markets, and places of worship.
Authorities now classify these groups as terrorists, and although ransom payments are illegal, there are reports that the rule is sometimes ignored.
Officials said students in unsafe areas will remain home until security is assured. Every returning student must be registered, and local authorities are required to provide adequate protection on school grounds.
However, just one day after the reopening announcement, at least 30 people were killed and several others abducted in Kasuwan-Daji village. Armed assailants emerged from nearby forests, burned the market, looted shops, and attacked residents, leaving the community terrified, according to emergency officials.
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