kidnapped

Nigerian state police say more children abducted last month from a Catholic school in Niger state have been released, adding to a partial liberation earlier in December but leaving key details unclear. Sister Mary T. Barron, the superior general of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles, which manages St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary schools in Papiri, said she learned of the development in the evening. She said details were not immediately clear and that more information was expected in the morning. The…

Release of Abducted Schoolchildren in Niger State: A Fragile Victory Nigerian authorities announced that they have successfully secured the release of 100 schoolchildren abducted from St. Mary's Catholic boarding school in Niger state. This incident, which unfolded on November 21, saw 315 pupils and staff taken by gunmen from the co-educational facility located in north-central Nigeria. Following the chaos of the attack, around 50 students managed to escape, but the fate of another 165 children and staff remains unknown.…

Nigeria’s government has secured the release of 100 schoolchildren abducted last month in Niger state, local media reported, marking a partial breakthrough in one of the country’s worst mass school kidnappings in recent years. The children were among those taken on Nov. 21 when gunmen stormed St. Mary’s Catholic boarding school in Papiri, a hamlet in Niger state. The Christian Association of Nigeria said at the time that 303 children and 12 school staff were seized in the raid. About 50 pupils managed to escape within hours,…

Army Rescues 12 Girls Abducted by Boko Haram in Borno State In a significant operation, troops under Operation Hadin Kai have successfully rescued 12 girls abducted by Boko Haram and ISWAP militants in the Mussa District of Askira/Uba Local Government Area, Borno State. The victims, aged between 15 and 20, were kidnapped on November 23 while working in their farmlands. One girl managed to escape and return home safely, leaving 12 others in captivity. Acting on actionable intelligence, the army conducted a targeted…

Security Concerns Mount Following Distressing School Abduction in Niger State Authorities in northern Niger State are grappling with the fallout from a "distressing" abduction of students and staff from a local school. The incident, which has sent shockwaves through the community, underscores the increasing volatility in the region. A senior government official confirmed that the abduction took place after a violent attack in the area. This distressing event unfolded in the context of previously reported intelligence…

FILE - In Nairobi, on a heated June day in 2024, Kenyan anti-riot police detained a protester.NAIROBI, KENYA — On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch pointed fingers at Kenyan security forces, accusing them of abducting, torturing, and killing individuals believed to be the masterminds behind anti-government protests from June to August.Reports emerged that these security personnel unlawfully detained abductees in off-the-grid locations like dense forests and deserted buildings, cutting them off from family and legal support.Mary…

Necdet Seyitoğlu spent nearly two decades in the UK before relocating to Kenya. In a recent chat with the BBC, a British resident revealed a startling account of being nabbed alongside several Turkish nationals by masked individuals in Nairobi. To date, four of those Turks remain unaccounted for. Necdet Seyitoğlu, who made the UK his home for 18 years prior to his move to Kenya two years back, shared that after being held for eight harrowing hours, he convinced his captors to release him by flashing his British passport.…

Nigerian gunmen released the remaining students of more than 100 students kidnapped from an Islamic seminary in northwest Niger state nearly three months ago, the school principal said on Thursday. Heavily armed…

In Nigeria, 28 of the 121 children abducted three weeks ago were released in the center of the country on Sunday morning. They had been kidnapped inside their own school by armed men, whom the locals call "bandits". The 28 children released are all between 10 and 12 years old. The photos and testimonials sent to RFI say they…

In Mali, we still have no news from Father Léon Dougnon, who was abducted on June 21 in the Mopti region. He and four other Christians were abducted on the way to Bandiagara. After mediation between community leaders in the area and the kidnappers, the four faithful who followed him were released quickly, but not Father Léon.…