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Officials in Nigeria have obtained the freedom of 100 seized students captured by armed men from a educational institution the previous month, as stated by a UN source and local media on Sunday. Nevertheless, the situation of a further one hundred and sixty-five hostages believed to still be in captivity stayed uncertain.

Context

During November, three hundred and fifteen students and staff were kidnapped from St Mary’s co-educational boarding school in central Niger state, as the country was gripped by a surge of group seizures reminiscent of the notorious 2014 jihadist group kidnapping of female students in Chibok.

Approximately fifty escaped soon after, resulting in two hundred and sixty-five thought to be under kidnappers' control.

The Release

The 100 children are set to be transferred to state authorities this Monday, stated by the UN official.

“They are scheduled to be released to Niger state government tomorrow,” the individual stated to AFP.

Local media also reported that the release of the students had been secured, though they lacked specifics on whether it was achieved via dialogue or a security operation, and no details on the fate of the remaining individuals.

The freeing of the youngsters was confirmed to AFP by a government spokesperson an official.

Statements

“For a long time we were hoping and praying for their return, should this be accurate then it is wonderful news,” said a spokesman, representing the local diocese of the religious authority which manages the institution.

“Nevertheless, we are without official confirmation and have not received proper notification by the national authorities.”

Security Situation

Although kidnappings for ransom are prevalent in the nation as a method for gangs and militants to generate revenue, in a wave of mass abductions in November, many people were taken, placing an uncomfortable focus on Nigeria’s serious state of safety.

The country is grappling with a years-long Islamist militant uprising in the northeastern region, while armed bandit gangs carry out abductions and loot communities in the northwestern region, and clashes between agricultural and pastoral communities regarding scarce resources continue in the middle belt.

Furthermore, armed groups linked to secessionist agendas also haunt the country’s volatile southeastern region.

The Chibok Shadow

One of the first mass kidnappings that drew global concern was in 2014, when almost three hundred girls were snatched from their boarding school in the north-eastern town of Chibok by Boko Haram jihadists.

Now, the country's hostage-taking problem has “evolved into a systematic, profit-seeking industry” that generated approximately $$1.66m (£1.24m) between last year, stated in a study by a Nigerian consultancy.