President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed happiness over the release of the 137 Kuriga school children recently kidnapped in Kaduna State.
The Defence Headquarters, today said troops rescued the abducted pupils and teachers of LEA School Kuriga in the Chikun Local Government Area in Kaduna within Zamfara State.
It would be recalled that on March 7, 2024, about 287 pupils and teachers of the school were abducted by suspected terrorists who took them into the forest.
Their abductors subsequently requested a ransom of N1bn for their release, setting a deadline of March 27, 2024, for the payment.
But the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen. Edward Buba, in a statement, stated that the victims were rescued in the early hours of Sunday by the troops with support from local authorities and government agencies.
Buba put the number of the rescued victims at 137, comprising 76 female and 61 male, adding that they would be conveyed to Kaduna where they would be handed over to the state government.
The statement read, “It would be recalled that, on March 7, 2024, troops received information that terrorists had invaded LEA School Kuriga in Chikun LG of Kaduna State During the incident, an unconfirmed number of pupils were abducted. Following the incident, the military committed to leaving no stone unturned until all the hostages were rescued.
“Accordingly, in the early hours of March 24, 2024, the military, working with local authorities and government agencies across the country, in a coordinated search and rescue operation, rescued the hostages.
“The hostages are the same persons that were abducted from the school at Kuriga in Chikun LGA of Kaduna State.
“The rescued hostages totalling 137 comprise of 76 females and 61 males were rescued in Zamfara State and would be conveyed and handed over to the Kaduna State Government for further action.”
“The rescue of the Kaduna pupils is coming a day after troops rescued 16 pupils (Almajiris) with a woman taken hostage in Gada LGA of Sokoto State.
“The troops have handed over the rescued victims to the Sokoto State Government.
“In his reaction to this development, Tinubu said, “I welcome the news of the release of the Kuriga school children in Kaduna State. This reemphasizes the importance of collaboration between the federal government and states for expected outcomes, especially on matters of security.
“The National Security Adviser, the Security Agencies, and the Kaduna State Government must be commended for the dispatch and diligence with which they handled this situation. It is clear that incipient urgency, meticulous attention, and tireless dedication are critical to optimal outcomes in cases of mass abductions.
“I also welcome the release of pupils of a Tsangaya school in Sokoto State, and commend all the parties to the feat for their valiant effort.
“I once again assure Nigerians that my administration is deploying detailed strategies to ensure that our schools remain safe sanctuaries of learning, not lairs for wanton abductions.”
