How 137 abducted Kaduna students were rescued in Zamfara

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Sunday, March 24, confirmed the successful rescue of the 137 schoolchildren.

The primary and secondary school students abducted on March 7, were rescued in the early hours of Sunday.

The military authority disclosed this in a statement signed by Major General Edward Buba, on Sunday morning, March 24, 2024.

He said a total of 137 persons comprising 76 females and 61 male were rescued in Zamfara.

According to him, they would be conveyed and handed over to the Kaduna State Government for further action.

“Relatedly, it would be recalled that on March 21, troops equally rescued 16 pupils (Almajiris) with a woman taken hostage in Gada Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

“These hostages were handed over to the Sokoto State Government.

“These efforts demonstrate the armed forces resolve to finding other innocent hostages and track down the terrorists that perpetrated these crimes.

“These efforts would continue until other hostages are found and the terrorists arrested, tried, and brought to justice by Nigerian law.

“Troops are employing similar effort to track down the culprits responsible for the killing of 18 soldiers in Okuama Community in Delta State.

“Justice await the culprits, as they can not go unpunished,” he said.

The children were abducted on Thursday, March 7, 2024, when the bandits attacked the Kuriga community in Chikun local government area of Kaduna state.

Following the abduction, the bandits demanded N1 billion as ransom in exchange for the release of the abducted schoolchildren.

However, in its statement on Sunday morning, the military authority was silent about ransom payment while noting that the children were rescued.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the World Trade Organization, WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has commended the security forces and the government on the rescue of the kidnapped school children from Kuriga area of Kaduna State.

The WTO DG, however, said it is time for the government to ensure the protection of schools through the Safe Schools Initiative in Nigeria.

Okonjo-Iweala stated this in a statement vis her verified X handle on Sunday.

She stated, “Wonderful news on the release of the abducted children from Kuriga!! Thanks to the Security forces and all in Govt involved in their release.

“Now let the Safe Schools Initiative kick in to better protect our children and encourage parents to send and keep their children in school.”

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