Tears of joy as Nigerian families reunite with kidnapped schoolchildren

PAPIRI, Nigeria (AP) – In a Christmas reunion, families and villagers in north-central Nigeria cried and hugged schoolchildren who were held for a month after being seized in one of the largest mass abductions in the country’s history.

The 130 schoolchildren and teachers were released on Sunday and brought home in Niger state’s Papiri community late Wednesday night, marking the last batch freed since the Nov. 21 attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri.

Mothers with teary eyes hugged their kids tightly while other children were lifted high in the air, their faces beaming with joy as villagers called out to them and examined them carefully to make sure they were not harmed.

“This Christmas, since we are celebrating Christmas with our children, we are so glad. And this Christmas will be different from the others,” said Yusuf Timothy, whose daughter, Rejoice, was among those freed.

“I am happy, I am happy,” said Rita Marcus, who was reunited with her son, tears flowing down her face. “This happiness, it is too much.”

School kidnappings driven by ransoms have become a major security issue in Africa’s most populous country.

Authorities earlier said 303 schoolchildren and 12 teachers were seized in the Niger state attack but later revised the number to 230, adding that all had now been released, without stating how.

Most of the children were aged between 10 and 17, the school said. Onyeka Chieme, one of the students, earlier told The Associated Press that gunmen threatened to shoot them during the attack.

Yusuf Timothy said his family had to put their life on hold since the attack.

“Sometimes even though I’m asleep with my wife, if we wake up, we will start thinking. We will start crying. When are we going to see our child?” he said.