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Nigerian authorities have ensured the liberation of one hundred seized students taken by armed men from a religious school the previous month, according to a source within the UN and Nigerian press on Sunday. Yet, the situation of an additional one hundred and sixty-five individuals presumed to still be under the control of kidnappers stayed uncertain.

Background

In November, 315 individuals were kidnapped from St Mary’s co-educational boarding school in central a Nigerian state, as the country buckled under a series of mass abductions reminiscent of the infamous 2014 jihadist group abduction of female students in a town in north-east Nigeria.

Approximately fifty escaped shortly afterward, resulting in two hundred and sixty-five thought to be under kidnappers' control.

The Handover

The a hundred children are set to be released to local government officials this Monday, stated by the United Nations source.

“They will be handed over to the government on Monday,” the official stated to a news agency.

Local media also stated that the freeing of the hostages had been achieved, but did not provide details on if it was done through negotiation or a security operation, nor on the situation of the remaining individuals.

The release of the youngsters was confirmed to AFP by presidential spokesman Sunday Dare.

Response

“We have been hoping and praying for their safe arrival, should this be accurate then it is a cheering development,” said Daniel Atori, speaking for the local diocese of the religious authority which manages the school.

“However, we are without official confirmation and have lacked official communication by the federal government.”

Wider Crisis

While hostage-taking for cash are widespread in the country as a way for gangs and militants to fund their activities, in a wave of mass abductions in last month, many people were seized, placing an harsh spotlight on the country's serious security situation.

The nation is grappling with a protracted jihadist insurgency in the north-east, while criminal groups conduct kidnappings and raid villages in the northwestern region, and disputes between agricultural and pastoral communities regarding dwindling resources occur in the country’s centre.

On a smaller scale, militant factions associated with secessionist agendas also operate in the nation's restive southeastern region.

Historical Precedent

One of the earliest mass kidnappings that garnered international attention was in 2014, when about 300 female students were taken from their school in the northeastern town of Chibok by Boko Haram jihadists.

A decade later, the country's kidnap-for-ransom problem has “become a structured, revenue-generating business” that collected about $1.66 million dollars (£1.24m) between last year, as per a study by a Nigerian research firm.