Officials report that more than 280 Nigerian students who were abducted in the north-western town of Kuriga earlier this month have been released unharmed.

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state did not provide specific details regarding the release, which occurred just days before the deadline set by the abductors for ransom payment.

The children, aged between eight and 15, along with a teacher, were taken captive on 7th March.

This incident marks a resurgence in mass abductions of children, a trend that had seen a decline over the past year.

Kidnapping gangs, known as bandits, have been responsible for seizing thousands of individuals in recent years, particularly in the north-west region of Nigeria. Typically, those abducted are released following the payment of a ransom. However, in this instance, the militants demanded a sum of $690,000 (£548,000), which the government had adamantly stated it would not pay.

Governor Sani praised President Bola Tinubu for his role in ensuring the safe release of the abducted Kuriga schoolchildren and also commended the Nigerian Army for its efforts in degrading criminal elements and restoring security in communities.

The mass abduction occurred during a school assembly on the morning of 7th March. Witnesses reported that dozens of gunmen on motorcycles stormed the school grounds around 08:30 local time, taking away 187 students from a secondary school and 125 from a local primary school.

Twenty-five students later returned, while tragically, one pupil, believed to be 14 years old, succumbed to injuries sustained from gunshot wounds inflicted by the gunmen.

Most of the kidnaps in north-west Nigeria, including Kaduna state, are believed to be the work of criminal gangs trying to make money from ransoms.

In an attempt to curb Nigeria's spiraling and lucrative kidnapping industry, a controversial law that made it a crime to make ransom payments was passed in 2022. It carries a jail sentence of at least 15 years, however, no one has ever been arrested.

Earlier this year, the family of a group of sisters kidnapped in the capital, Abuja, denied a police statement that the security forces had rescued the girls, saying that they had no choice but to pay the ransom.

There was global outrage when Islamists seized nearly 300 girls in Nigeria's north-eastern town of Chibok in 2014.

Most of the victims have either been freed or escaped since then, but dozens remain unaccounted for.

REALLY SAD

Alhamdullah it's a good news. May Almighty ALLAH help the military and Nigerian Police to actualize the release of others abducted in other states. Amin.

ayodeji11:

Officials report that more than 280 Nigerian students who were abducted in the north-western town of Kuriga earlier this month have been released unharmed.

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state did not provide specific details regarding the release, which occurred just days before the deadline set by the abductors for ransom payment.

The children, aged between eight and 15, along with a teacher, were taken captive on 7th March.

This incident marks a resurgence in mass abductions of children, a trend that had seen a decline over the past year.

Kidnapping gangs, known as bandits, have been responsible for seizing thousands of individuals in recent years, particularly in the north-west region of Nigeria. Typically, those abducted are released following the payment of a ransom. However, in this instance, the militants demanded a sum of $690,000 (£548,000), which the government had adamantly stated it would not pay.

Governor Sani praised President Bola Tinubu for his role in ensuring the safe release of the abducted Kuriga schoolchildren and also commended the Nigerian Army for its efforts in degrading criminal elements and restoring security in communities.

The mass abduction occurred during a school assembly on the morning of 7th March. Witnesses reported that dozens of gunmen on motorcycles stormed the school grounds around 08:30 local time, taking away 187 students from a secondary school and 125 from a local primary school.

Twenty-five students later returned, while tragically, one pupil, believed to be 14 years old, succumbed to injuries sustained from gunshot wounds inflicted by the gunmen.

Most of the kidnaps in north-west Nigeria, including Kaduna state, are believed to be the work of criminal gangs trying to make money from ransoms.

In an attempt to curb Nigeria's spiraling and lucrative kidnapping industry, a controversial law that made it a crime to make ransom payments was passed in 2022. It carries a jail sentence of at least 15 years, however, no one has ever been arrested.

Earlier this year, the family of a group of sisters kidnapped in the capital, Abuja, denied a police statement that the security forces had rescued the girls, saying that they had no choice but to pay the ransom.

There was global outrage when Islamists seized nearly 300 girls in Nigeria's north-eastern town of Chibok in 2014.

Most of the victims have either been freed or escaped since then, but dozens remain unaccounted for.