Barely one month after terrorists invaded the Christian school on November 21, 2025 and kidnapped over 230 school children at the Saint Mary Catholic Church School in Papiri town in Niger State, the Nigeria government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the complete release of all the  abducted church school children by the terrorists, according to the Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the terrorists released the kids based on intelligent driven operations, but, some Nigerians who took to the comment sections of the presidential spokesperson on social media, said, the government should come out clean and tell the public the truth that It paid money as ransom to the terrorists to secure the freedom of the kids, stressing that, terrorists don’t release kidnapped victims for free.

Bayo Onanuga, the Presidential spokesperson had said in a statement he issued and made available yesterday that: “The remaining 130 school children abducted by terrorists at Saint Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, on November 21, have now been released. They are expected to arrive in Minna on Monday and rejoin their parents for the Christmas celebration.

One hundred were released earlier by the terrorists, taking the total of freed students to 230. The freedom of the school children followed a military-intelligence driven operation”.

Some social media users who are apparently Nigerians took to the comment sections of the Presidential spokesperson post both on Facebook and X social media platforms and expressed themselves over the new developments, some of which are presented verbatim below:

Rilwan Ibrahim said: “Released not rescued. Kidnappers don’t release captives for free. In all thank God for their lives”

Femi Adeboye said: “So what happened to their abductors. Were they engaged in ‘the way they understand’ or they were released after monetary negotiation? We thank God for.the release of these children, at the same time, what happened to the abductors?”

Akingbade Agunbiade said: “Military-intelligence driven operation? As how na? How many bandits did they arrest?”

Banky Alesh said: “A wheeler-dealer government of no direction will never say the truth, only God knows how much ransom was paid from the hard earned resources or borrowed funds of this country! No amount of propaganda or damage control, Nigerians becomes wiser everyday with all your antics and they are ready for you come 2027”.

Russka Okoh said: “Sir, with all due respect, Do the terrorists release them unconditionally or your government paid Ransom?”

Djokay Megamixer stated: “The presidency celebrates a ‘military-intelligence-driven operation’ for the Papiri release, yet says nothing about the fate of the abductors. In a functioning security system, the return of victims is only half the job. Without arrests or neutralised threats, this is not a rescue; it is a handover that comes at a cost that wasn’t mentioned.

The official account of the Papiri release reads like a travel itinerary, not a security report. If this was indeed an intelligence-led operation, where are the suspects? Silence on the abductors’ fate suggests a non-combative arrangement that leaves the kidnap industry intact.

Mass kidnappings in Niger State have become a cycle of trauma and PR-managed returns. By failing to mention any neutralised threats or arrests in the Papiri operation, the presidency inadvertently credits the ‘kindness’ of terrorists for the freedom of our children”.

Aliyu Mohammed stated: “Kudos to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT) for his serious commitment to tackling security challenges… Lately, the government has been putting in real work to end kidnapping and banditry once and for all”.

Samuel Ozonna stated: “Such Military intelligence! Transactions completed!
Alert received!!!. A government that negotiates with terrorists”.

Onusam stated; “I’m glad the remaining schoolchildren have been released and will soon be reunited with their families. But, Mr. Bayo, how many terrorists were arrested or killed during the operation to free these children? Or was it the usual method of paying ransom to these terrorists while pretending otherwise?

Ben Samuel stated; “What happened to the kidnappers? Frankly, we’re far more interested in seeing how you deal ruthlessly with the terrorists than in the victims themselves because we all know you’ll insist no ransom was paid, even as they were released, perhaps in exchange for ‘Xmas handshakes.’

You can’t easily steal 50 cows and march them into the  forests let alone abduct hundreds of human beings. How do you plan to face Nigerians next year and campaign for APC re-election, when that would only mean more kidnappings and deeper insecurity?

This is a truly clueless administration. What Nigerians want is to see the forests littered with the bodies of neutralized kidnappers, proof of overwhelming firepower but instead, you allow them to regroup and strike again, kidnapping even more victims every day”.

Chika Ohaji added that; “Mr onanuga, Don’t you think it is just too much to ask children who have been in a terrorist den for close to two months to be smiling for the camera? While we are relieved these children who (are) from being normal kids have undergone severe trauma, asking them to smile for the camera is adding salt to injury. They did not go on vacation, it wasn’t Disney world. I think you people can do better. Terrorists are in competition with government for control of resources. That tells you a lot”.

Halitta Smyth added that; “Checkout the words used. How will ReLEASE follow after a military-intelligence operation and no abductors were either arrested or sent to their maker? Looks like we are getting good at hostile negotiations”.

Honourable Nuhu Sada added that; “We welcome the safe release of the remaining 130 schoolchildren in Papiri. While we rejoice with their families, this tragic abduction underscores the urgent need for effective security reforms to ensure our children can learn without fear”.