The safe rescue of 100 schoolchildren from St Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara LGA, Niger State, has drawn international attention—and cautious optimism. Riley Moore, a member of the United States House of Representatives, hailed the operation as a “positive demonstration” of President Bola Tinubu’s response to Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges.
Moore, on a visit to Nigeria after months of tense diplomatic exchanges over alleged persecution of Christians, shared his reflections in a social media post following a high-level meeting with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. His visit comes on the heels of security talks in Washington between Ribadu and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, discussions held the same day Congress heard testimony on attacks targeting Christians in Nigeria.
The US lawmaker did not mince words. He expressed strong optimism that Nigeria could defeat terrorism if the resolutions agreed upon during these high-level discussions were fully implemented. In a closed-door session, Moore and the visiting US Congressional delegation deliberated with Ribadu on measures to dismantle terrorist networks, particularly in the volatile North-East region.
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“The commitment of both nations to counter these threats is encouraging,” Moore noted, emphasizing that coordinated action is critical to ending the cycle of violence and abductions.
Back home, President Bola Tinubu lauded the tireless efforts of Nigeria’s security forces in securing the release of the 100 students. Speaking through his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu also issued a clarion call for the rescue of the remaining 115 students and teachers still in captivity.
“I have been briefed on the safe return of 100 students from the Catholic School in Niger State. I rejoice with Governor Umar Bago and commend our security agencies for their steadfast work since the unfortunate incident on 21 November,” the President said.
He added that security agencies, working hand-in-hand with state governments, must ensure that children are no longer “sitting ducks for heartless terrorists intent on disrupting their education and subjecting them and their parents to unspeakable trauma.”
The message from both Nigeria and its international partners is clear: decisive action, cooperation, and persistent vigilance are the tools that could finally turn the tide against the wave of kidnappings and attacks targeting Christian communities in Nigeria.
