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Nine children who were abducted at gunpoint from a Roman Catholic church in central Nigeria have been safely released, according to local officials.
The victims, consisting of six girls and three boys, were kidnapped by armed men on February 8 while attending a prayer service at St John’s Catholic Church in Benue State.
Following their recovery late Saturday, the children are currently under medical supervision to receive the necessary care and support after their week-long ordeal.
The rescue was the result of a coordinated effort between official security forces and local vigilante groups.
Solomon Iorpev, an adviser to the Benue state governor, praised the “effective collaboration” that led to the children’s safe return, though specific details regarding the rescue operation or whether a ransom was paid remain undisclosed.
While the Nigerian government officially prohibits ransom payments, officials are often suspected of using cash settlements to secure the release of captives from the country’s rampant kidnapping industry.
This incident is part of a broader security crisis in Nigeria’s “Middle Belt,” a region frequently destabilised by violent clashes over land and resources.
The surge in mass abductions has drawn sharp international criticism, including from the United States.
While some foreign leaders have framed the violence as religious persecution against Christians, the Nigerian government maintains that the attacks are driven by criminal and economic motives that impact citizens of all faiths.
In an effort to curb the wave of mass kidnappings, which included the abduction of roughly 300 students and staff last year, President Bola Tinubu has declared a national state of emergency.
The administration is currently focused on a massive recruitment drive for the police and military to bolster security in high-risk areas.
Despite these measures, the safe return of the nine children from Benue serves as a rare piece of positive news in a landscape still dominated by significant security challenges.
