Officials have confirmed the safe release of over 280 students who were kidnapped earlier this month in Kuriga, a town in north-western Nigeria.
The details of their release, which occurred just days before the kidnappers’ ransom deadline, were not disclosed by Kaduna state governor Uba Sani.
The victims, ranging from 8 to 15 years old, along with a teacher, were abducted on March 7. Kidnapping gangs, often referred to as bandits, have been responsible for the abduction of thousands in recent years, particularly in the north-west. However, mass abductions of children had seen a decrease over the past year until this incident.
Typically, those kidnapped are released upon payment of a ransom. In this case, the kidnappers demanded $690,000 (£548,000), but the government maintained its stance of not paying ransoms.
Governor Sani commended President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria for his role in ensuring the safe return of the Kuriga students. He also lauded the Nigerian Army for their courage, determination, and commitment in combating criminal activities and restoring security in their communities.
The mass kidnapping took place during a school assembly on the morning of March 7. Witnesses reported that dozens of armed men on motorcycles stormed the school around 08:30 (07:30 GMT), abducting 187 secondary school students and 125 primary school students. Twenty-five students managed to return later.
Tragically, a student, believed to be 14 years old, was shot and killed by the gunmen.
Most kidnappings in north-west Nigeria, including those in Kaduna state, are thought to be the work of criminal gangs seeking ransom payments. In 2022, a controversial law was passed in an effort to curb Nigeria’s escalating kidnapping industry, making it a crime to pay ransoms and carrying a minimum jail sentence of 15 years. However, no arrests have been made under this law.
Earlier this year, the family of a group of sisters kidnapped in Abuja, the capital, refuted a police claim that the girls had been rescued by security forces, stating that they had been forced to pay the ransom.
The kidnapping of nearly 300 girls by Islamists in the north-eastern town of Chibok in 2014 sparked global outrage. While most of the victims have since been freed or have escaped, dozens are still missing.
