Nigerian School Children Abducted in Kuriga: Liberated from Mass Kidnapping
Officials have confirmed the safe release of Nigerian pupils who were abducted by gunmen in the town of Kuriga, located in the north-western region. Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state credited the security forces for their bravery in orchestrating the rescue operation.
Initially, the school authorities reported that over 280 children had been taken captive, but the army later clarified that 137 hostages had been liberated. Discrepancies in the numbers have not been addressed by officials.
Tragically, one of the abducted teachers from Kuriga lost their life during the captivity period, which lasted 17 days in total. Notably, hostages in previous abductions managed to escape their captors while traversing to forest hideouts.
The perpetrators, referred to as “bandits,” have orchestrated numerous mass abductions in recent years, particularly in the north-western region of Nigeria. Despite an overall decline in such attacks over the past year, the nation has witnessed six mass abductions this month alone.
The gunmen had demanded a ransom of $690,000 for the release of the Kuriga children, aged between eight and 15. However, the government stood firm on its decision not to negotiate or pay any ransom.
Governor Sani expressed joy at the successful rescue operation and commended President Bola Tinubu for his role in ensuring the safe return of the abducted schoolchildren. President Tinubu, in turn, emphasized the importance of collaboration between the government and state authorities, particularly in matters of security.
According to military spokesperson Maj Gen Edward Buba, the rescue operation led to the liberation of 76 girls and 61 boys from Zamfara state, bordering Kaduna to the north-west. The military released photos of the rescued children, depicting them appearing dusty and fatigued as they sat in buses.
Reports suggest that the students were freed in a forest and are undergoing medical examinations in Kaduna before reuniting with their families.
The mass abduction occurred during a school assembly on March 7, with gunmen riding in on motorcycles and seizing 187 students from a secondary school and 125 from a local primary school. The exact number of abducted teachers remains unclear.
Most kidnappings in the north-west are attributed to criminal gangs seeking financial gain through ransom payments. In 2022, a controversial law criminalizing ransom payments was enacted in an effort to combat Nigeria’s escalating kidnapping industry.
In a separate incident, the army announced the rescue of 17 students and a woman kidnapped from a school in Sokoto shortly after the Kuriga attack, underscoring the persistent threat of such crimes in the region.
The ordeal echoes the 2014 abduction of nearly 300 girls by Islamist militants in Chibok, highlighting the ongoing challenges of ensuring the safety and security of Nigerian citizens, particularly schoolchildren, in vulnerable regions.
