National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, Nuhu Ribadu, has reassured parents and authorities of St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area, Niger State, that the abducted pupils “are doing fine and will return soon.”
Ribadu delivered the message on Monday during a visit to the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese and Proprietor of the school, Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, as well as parents of the abducted children at St. Michael’s Catholic Cathedral, Kontagora.
He conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s message of hope, noting that efforts to rescue the children were progressing and security deployment in the affected area had been intensified.
Assuring that the pupils would return safely, he said, “God is with them and God is with us. Evil will never win. They are going to come back. I give you that assurance”.
“This is a very solemn and difficult moment for us, especially after listening to some of the parents. We take responsibility because it is our duty to protect you. Mr President is in pain, he is in sorrow just like all of us. He suspended all engagements, including an official trip, because of this incident,” Ribadu added.
The NSA urged Nigerians to remain united, insisting that “the common enemy” must not be allowed to divide the country.
“Enough is enough. We will not relent in our efforts. We are all under attack; let us not allow evil to get into us,” he said.
Ribadu was accompanied by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Bernard Doro; Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi; and Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Northern Nigeria, Rev. Joseph Hayab.
Commending Bishop Yohanna for his composure despite pressures from various quarters, Ribadu said the Federal Government stood firmly with the Church and affected families.
“Many good people from around the world are coming to support us, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom and others. The whole world is coming together to defeat this evil that has tormented Nigeria for two decades,” he said.
Ribadu also pledged that the Federal Government would strengthen security around the school and its communities, adding: “This incident will change Nigeria for good.”
Earlier, Bishop Yohanna expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and the NSA for their visit and words of reassurance. He presented a detailed report to the NSA before a closed-door meeting that lasted about 30 minutes.
The school Principal, Rev. Sister Felicia Gyang, and a representative of the parents, Mr. Luka Iliya, also described the attack and shared the current emotional state of the families affected.
The Abduction
The Niger school abduction occurred on 21 November 2025, when armed bandits attacked St. Mary’s Catholic School in the remote community of Papiri. Arriving around 2:00 a.m. on motorbikes, the gunmen stormed the school dormitories over a three-hour period, abducting 315 people—303 students and 12 teachers.
Security forces and community hunters were deployed to comb nearby forests for the abductees.
In the immediate aftermath, 50 students escaped within the first day and were reunited with their families. However, 265 individuals—including 253 children and all 12 teachers—remain in captivity.
The Federal Government responded by imposing a 24-hour security cordon and launching aerial surveillance across parts of Kwara, Kebbi, and Niger States. President Tinubu cancelled planned international travel to address the crisis. Authorities also ordered the indefinite closure of all schools in Niger State and many federal institutions in high-risk regions.