Over 130 school children, who were held captive for over two weeks, arrived in their home state in northwestern Nigeria on Monday. They were rescued after being abducted by gunmen while at their school in the remote town of Kuriga, Kaduna state, on March 7. The rescue operation,which went on for several days, successfully located them in a forest about 200 kilometers away in neighboring Zamfara state.
The children, many of whom are under the age of 10, were received at the Kaduna State Government House. They were given fresh haircuts and provided with new clothes and footwear, marking their first change of clothing since the abduction. Unfortunately, one staff member abducted alongside the children passed away during captivity, while six of the rescued students are currently receiving medical attention in hospital.
Initially, school authorities reported that 287 students were kidnapped during the attack, but Governor Uba Sani clarified that only 137 individuals were confirmed to have been seized.
Governor Sani emphasized the importance of prioritizing the security of the children and refrained from disclosing details of the rescue operation or any arrests made. He urged against politicizing the issue of insecurity in the country, particularly in Kaduna state.
This incident adds to a distressing trend in Nigeria, where over 1,400 students have been abducted from schools since the 2014 kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram militants in Chibok village, Borno state. Recent years have seen a concentration of abductions in the conflict-affected northwestern and central regions, where various armed groups frequently target villagers and travelers for ransom.
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