Multiple parents have been reunited with their children, who were kidnapped from their boarding school in Nigeria. 

More than 300 students were abducted by gunmen from St Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri last month. Around 100 were freed on Monday, with 50 having escaped soon after the kidnapping. The condition and location of pupils and staff still in captivity remains unknown. 

It was one of the worst mass abductions Nigeria has ever witnessed, with a spate of attacks on schools and churches happening across northern and central states. 

Luka Illaya, one of the parents, told The Associated Press: “It has not been easy for me. But today, in fact, I have a little bit of joy, especially because there is still one abducted. But I am now happy with this one that I have gotten.”

His other son is still in the hands of the kidnappers. 

Reverend Sister Felicia Gyang, school principal, said: “We thank all the security agencies that helped in the rescue of our children.”

“We are pleading that God should give them more strength to be able to rescue the remaining children,” she told the Associated Press. 

Further details about how the release was secured have not been revealed. The governor of a nearby state claimed that behind-the-scenes work by the federal government could not be publicised for security reasons. 

No group has claimed responsibility for the abductions.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu posted on X this week that children “should no longer be sitting ducks” and called on security services to do more to protect students.