Nigerian military and government officials reported the rescue of 137 schoolchildren who had been abducted from their school in the northwestern state of Kaduna. The children, seized over two weeks ago by motorcycle-riding gunmen and taken into the forest, were rescued on Sunday and are currently receiving psychological support ahead of their reunification with their families.
The abduction incident at the remote Kuriga school on March 7 initially reported 287 students kidnapped, but Kaduna Governor Uba Sani later clarified that 137 young individuals were actually taken. The discrepancy in numbers is attributed to the common challenges of record-keeping and the immediate escape of some hostages during such crises in Nigeria.
The rescued children were found in Zamfara state, over 200 kilometers away from their school. Images released by the Nigerian military depicted the children in their school uniforms, covered in dust and visibly exhausted from their ordeal.
This event is part of a disturbing trend in Nigeria, where over 1,400 students have been kidnapped from schools since 2014. The kidnappings, primarily occurring in the northwestern and central regions, are often perpetrated by armed groups targeting villagers and travelers for ransom.
The rescue operation involved coordination between the military, local authorities, and government agencies, demonstrating a concerted effort to address the kidnapping crisis. Despite the successful rescue, challenges remain, as ransoms are commonly paid to secure the release of hostages, a practice rarely acknowledged by officials.
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