All remaining pupils and staff abducted from a Catholic school in northern Nigeria have been released, bringing relief to families after weeks of uncertainty. The mass kidnapping, however, has once again highlighted the scale of insecurity facing schools, churches, and Christian communities across the country.
The abduction took place in November, when armed men stormed a Catholic school in Niger State and seized hundreds of children along with several members of staff. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, a number of pupils managed to escape, while others were released in stages over the following weeks. Authorities confirmed shortly before Christmas that the final group of captives had been freed and were able to return home.
