When the first group of exhausted pupils from St Mary Catholic School in Papiri stepped into the warm light of Agwara town on Sunday evening, their faces told a story that words could only attempt to capture. For days, they had lived in fear, hidden away in a thick forest beside a slow moving river, held captive by men armed with guns and threats.
The rescue of one hundred children, coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser and supported by the military and the Department of State Services, marked the latest chapter in a crisis that began with the abduction of more than three hundred pupils, students and teachers. About fifty had managed to escape earlier, fleeing through the trees in a frantic run for survival.
For those who remained in captivity, the ordeal was a test of fear, endurance and faith.
Florence Michael, a young student with a quiet voice, described the long journey that began the day they were taken.
“We were taken deep into the forest,” she said, recalling the march through bushes, thorns and ankle deep mud. “Later they camped us near a river. They made us sleep on a trampoline on the bare ground. They warned that if we made noise, they would beat us and kill us. They said if we were not calm, we would not go back home.”
Her words were simple, but each sentence carried the weight of a memory that will linger long after the applause over their rescue fades.
Emmanuel, another student, spoke in short bursts as if the fear still sat close to his throat.
“They had big guns,” he said. “They told us not to cry. We were afraid all through.”
For the families, the waiting was a silent torment. Mrs Elizabeth Samuel, whose daughter was among the rescued, said the last few days felt like a never ending night.
“I am happy to see my daughter,” she said, eyes glistening. “But the thought of her being with men carrying guns is something that will always stay with me. We thank everyone who prayed and stood with us.”
At the handover ceremony in Minna, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, represented by Wing Commander Abdullahi Idi Hong, explained that the rescue was the result of a coordinated operation guided by intelligence and careful pressure on the abductors.
He stressed that the government is introducing new security measures in areas considered vulnerable, adding that the safety of citizens remains a national priority.
Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, who received the children, expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and security agencies, describing the moment as one of relief mixed with responsibility.
“These are very young children,” he said. “We are thankful they are home. We will not rest until the remaining pupils, students and staff are found. We ask for continued prayers.”
Still missing are children whose names remain on the lists read daily by anxious parents. Their absence is a reminder that the rescue mission is not yet complete.
For now, however, the return of the one hundred offers a brief moment of light amid a season of uncertainty. Some walked out holding friends. Some clung to the hands of officials. Some looked around as if unsure if the nightmare had truly ended.
But all of them walked out alive, and that alone is a story worth telling.
