The governor of Kaduna state, Uba Sani, has announced that the schoolchildren who were kidnapped in Kuriga hamlet, Chikun LGA, have been released.
Early on Sunday morning, the governor declared their release in a statement that was uploaded to his X (formerly Twitter) page.
“I wish to announce that our Kuriga school children have been released,” Sani wrote.
“Our special appreciation goes to our dear President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for prioritizing the safety and security of Nigerians and particularly ensuring that the abducted Kuriga school children are released unharmed.
“While the school children 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.”
The schoolchildren were taken hostage on March 7 when bandits attacked the community and invaded the primary and secondary schools.
Sani Abdullahi, a teacher at Government Secondary School Kuriga, had said 287 students were missing after the attack.
While announcing their release, the governor did not indicate if all the abducted students were freed.
The governor thanked Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser, and the Nigerian Army for their efforts in facilitating the release of the schoolchildren.
“Special mention must also be made of our dear brother, the National Security Adviser, Mal. Nuhu Ribadu for his exemplary leadership. I spent sleepless nights with Mal. Ribadu finetuning strategies and coordinating the operations of the security agencies, which eventually resulted in this successful outcome,” he said.
“The Nigerian Army also deserves special commendation for showing that with courage, determination and commitment, criminal elements can be degraded and security restored in our communities.
“We also thank all Nigerians who prayed fervently for the safe return of the school children. This is indeed a day of joy.”