The 100 schoolchildren freed after being abducted from St. Mary Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, have described the terrifying conditions they endured while held by their captors. The pupils said they were kept deep in the bush, close to a riverbank, and constantly warned that any attempt to cry out or resist would cost them their lives.
The children were released on Sunday evening in an operation coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), working alongside the military and the Department of State Services (DSS). Their rescue followed the earlier breakout of about 50 other pupils who managed to escape from the kidnappers.
One of the freed students, Florence Michael, explained that the abductors forced them to trek through dense forest before settling them near a river, where they slept on makeshift materials. She recalled being told repeatedly that speaking, crying or moving unnecessarily would result in severe beatings or even death.
Another pupil, Emmanuel, said the presence of heavily armed men heightened their fear, adding that the abductors pointed guns at them to keep them silent for the entire period of captivity.
For many parents, the joy of reunion is tempered by the emotional trauma of imagining what their children endured. Mrs. Elizabeth Samuel, whose daughter was among the rescued, expressed gratitude for the intervention of security operatives and the prayers of well-wishers, but admitted that the experience had left her deeply shaken.
The children were formally handed over to Niger State Governor Umaru Bago by Wing Commander Abdullahi Idi Hong, who represented the ONSA during the transfer. Authorities have assured families that the pupils will receive proper medical and psychological support as they begin their recovery from the ordeal.
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