Recent reports confirm that 137 school children who were kidnapped by armed gunmen in Nigeria have been released. The governor of Nigeria’s Kaduna state, Uba Sani, shared this news in a TV interview aired on Sunday. The children were abducted earlier this month from the LEA Primary and Secondary School in Kuriga village, located in Kaduna’s Chikun district.
During the interview, Governor Sani expressed his happiness over the safe return of the children and mentioned that he had met with their families, who were also relieved by the news. However, he mentioned the unfortunate death of a teacher who developed complications while in captivity, though specific details were not provided.
The armed bandits, who arrived on motorcycles, had initially demanded a ransom of 1 billion naira ($620,000) and threatened to harm the students if their demands were not met. The situation escalated, leading to a coordinated effort by Nigeria’s National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and security agencies, resulting in the successful rescue operation.
Kaduna state has been grappling with recurring incidents of kidnappings for ransom by bandits, and this recent incident is part of a series of mass abductions in the region in recent years. Governor Sani assured that the rescued children would receive psychosocial counseling and proper medical supervision to help them recover from the traumatic experience.
The Nigerian Army was also praised for its role in the operation, demonstrating courage and commitment in restoring security in the communities. Governor Sani extended his gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his continuous efforts to ensure the safe return of the children.
