Rescued Niger Student Recounts: “We Were Told We Would Be Beaten And k!lled If We Made Any Noise.”

According to Ireporter Online, the students rescued from the recent abduction at St. Mary Catholic School in Papiri, Agwara, Niger State, have described the fear and intimidation they faced while in captivity. The 100 children, freed on Sunday evening through a coordinated effort led by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), said they were held near a river and repeatedly warned that any outcry would put their lives in danger.

Security officials, including the military and the Department of State Services, carried out the operation, which followed the earlier escape of about 50 other pupils.

One of the rescued students, identified as Florence Michael, explained that the abductors moved them through the forest before settling them in a camp by the river, where they slept on makeshift bedding. She said the captors issued constant threats, insisting the children stay completely quiet if they wanted to return home safely.

Another student, Emmanuel, recounted that the group was warned at gunpoint not to cry or show distress, leaving them in a state of constant fear.

For many parents, the reunion has brought overwhelming relief mixed with lingering emotional shock. One mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Samuel, expressed gratitude for her daughter’s safe return and appreciation for those who supported the rescue efforts and offered prayers during the ordeal.

The children were formally handed over to the Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, by the ONSA representative, Wing Commander Abdullahi Idi Hong.