Nigerian students who were abducted in a mass kidnapping in Kuriga, a town in the north-western region, have been released unharmed, according to officials.
Kaduna state governor Uba Sani credited the rescue to the bravery of the security forces.
While the school authorities initially reported over 280 children taken, the army stated that 137 hostages were freed.
The operation occurred before a ransom deadline, although there’s a discrepancy in the reported numbers.
In past incidents, hostages have managed to escape as they were taken to forest hideouts by their captors.
Unfortunately, one teacher taken during the Kuriga abduction passed away while in captivity. The group was held for a total of 17 days.
Kidnappings by criminal groups, known as bandits, have been prevalent in northern Nigeria in recent years, despite a general decrease in such attacks.
Ransoms are typically demanded for the release of hostages, and the Kuriga kidnappers had asked for a substantial sum.
However, the government had stated it would not negotiate or pay any ransom.
The successful rescue operation was praised by Governor Sani and President Bola Tinubu, highlighting the collaboration between the government and state authorities in addressing security challenges.
The military reported rescuing 76 girls and 61 boys from Zamfara state.
The abducted students, after being freed in a forest, were transported to Kaduna for medical assessments before reuniting with their families.
The mass kidnapping occurred during a school assembly, with gunmen on motorcycles taking away a significant number of students and some teachers.
Although Nigeria has implemented laws against ransom payments to combat the kidnapping industry, no arrests have been made under these laws.
This incident echoes past abductions in Nigeria, including the infamous case in Chibok in 2014, highlighting ongoing security concerns in the country’s various regions.
Source-BBC
