Nigerian authorities say they have secured the release of the remaining 130 schoolchildren kidnapped from a Catholic boarding school in the country's central Niger state.
Nigeria's federal government described the latest release as a moment of triumph and relief, after one of the country's worst mass kidnappings.
More than 250 children and staff were abducted from St Mary's Catholic school in Papiri on November 21. Earlier this month, about 100 of the children were released.
The authorities confirmed the rescue of the remaining 130 children and staff in a statement, saying not a single pupil is left in captivity.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga announced on Sunday that the total of freed students is now 230. However, the exact number of individuals taken and those who have remained in captivity since the kidnapping has been unclear.
The government has not publicly disclosed how they secured the latest release or whether any ransom was paid.
Images shared by Onanuga depict children smiling and waving, with the students expected to arrive in the Niger state capital, Minna, on Monday.
The governor of neighboring Nasarawa state, Abdullahi Sule, stated that the federal government played a significant role in ensuring the earlier release, though details about the efforts remain undisclosed for security reasons.
At the time of the kidnapping, the Christian Association of Nigeria reported that 50 students managed to escape.
The November abduction was part of a troubling trend involving targeted attacks on schools and places of worship in north and central Nigeria, which have seen a spike in kidnapping incidents.
On December 9, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reaffirmed his government's commitment to collaborating with Niger and other states to secure schools and enhance safety in learning environments.
