287 Students Kidnapped In Kaduna Have Been Released

The Kaduna State government has announced that the 287 school students kidnapped by bandits on March 7 have been released.

Governor Uba Sani made the disclosure through an official statement that was made public on Sunday, March 2, 2024.

“In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Most Merciful, I wish to announce that our Kuriga schoolchildren have been released,” Governor Sani said in an official statement.

The students were kidnapped from the LEA Primary School and Junior Secondary School in Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area of the State.

After their kidnapping, the bandits made a demand of 1 billion naira from the government for their release.

Related: “Fighting banditry and terrorism are of higher priority to us than going after Nnamdi Kanu or Sunday Igboho” – Shehu Sani

President Bola Tinubu vowed that the government would not pay any ransom and urged security agencies to tackle the problem.

Despite the announcement of their release, Governor Uba Sani did not give details of how they were released but thanked the President “for prioritising the safety and security of Nigerians and particularly ensuring that the abducted Kuriga school children are released unharmed.”

“While the schoolchildren were in captivity, I spoke with Mr. President several times. He shared our pains, comforted us, and worked round the clock with us to ensure the safe return of the children.”

Governor Sani also praised the effort of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, “for his exemplary leadership. I spent sleepless nights with Mal. Ribadu fine-tuning strategies and coordinating the operations of the security agencies, which eventually resulted in this successful outcome.”

He also hailed the Nigerian army “for showing that with courage, determination, and commitment, criminal elements can be degraded and security restored in our communities.”

Kidnapping citizens and demanding ransoms have become a strong tactic for banditry groups in Northern Nigeria.

The government has promised to fix insecurity, but Nigerians remain skeptical due to cases such as in Kuriga.