Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun has commended Bola Tinubu's administration for securing the release of all abducted students and teachers from St. Mary's Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, declaring it a decisive demonstration of Nigeria's capacity to crush kidnapping and insurgency. The breakthrough on December 21, 2025, freed the remaining 130 captives from the November 21 gunmen raid that snatched over 300 pupils and 12 staff, following earlier escapes by 50 and a prior batch of 100, with no one left in bandit hands per presidential confirmation. Abiodun praised the relentless federal push troops, drones, and border lockdowns across Niger, Kebbi, and Kwara that prompted Tinubu to scrap an overseas trip for hands-on command, proving "evil forces will not prevail" and rebuilding citizen faith.
This resolution caps a two-week nightmare that shuttered schools statewide, echoing Chibok's shadow amid North-Central bandit surges, including 25 Kebbi girls snatched days prior. Freed victims headed to Minna for medicals and reunions, as spokesperson Sunday Dare shared jubilant photos online, underscoring operational secrecy's success without ransom details disclosed. Abiodun urged relentless pursuit of perpetrators for justice, framing the win as momentum for nationwide security overhaul under Tinubu.
Families' relief poured out after anguished pleas, with locals fearing reprisals yet hailing the outcome as a beacon against fear-driven silence. Analysts see it bolstering Tinubu's reform narrative amid 2027 jockeying, though sustaining gains demands tackling root insecurity drivers.