In contrast to what has been reported, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani claims that 137 schoolchildren—not 287—were taken on March 7, 2024, from Kuriga in the state’s Chikun Local Government Area.
The governor, who made the clarification on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, stated that all of the schoolchildren kidnapped by marauding bandits have been rescued by the military in collaboration with local authorities from neighbouring Zamfara State, where the hostages were relocated by their kidnappers.
Four weeks ago, the students were taken from LEA Primary School and Government Secondary School in Kuriga.
According to the Defence Headquarters, 137 pupils were rescued, contrary to rumours that 287 children had been taken by bandits.
The relieved governor stated that the number supplied by the military is the correct amount, dismissing “287” as a fabrication of some people’s mind.
“I don’t want to join issues with anyone in terms of numbers. What is more important to me is the safe return of the children. Today, I am happy that they are back safely, in high spirit, but those numbers were just figment of some people’s imagination,” the governor stated.
“Today, I met with the families of the children and they confirmed to me that the numbers given by the military are the correct numbers,” he added, describing the “287” as works of propangadists.
Teacher Killed
Sani, however, regreted that a teacher who was kidnapped alongside the pupils couldn’t make it out alive as he developed some complications while in captivity. He commiserated with the family of the deceased teacher and consoled the families of the released schoolchildren.
He said, “It’s only one person that has not returned and that is the teacher. That is the fact of the matter but all of the 137 children are safely back. We had the unfortunate incident that the teacher couldn’t make it because he had some complications; he was sick — that was the report we got from the military and the security agencies but the rest of the children, all of them are back with us.”
‘Gumi Not Involved’
The governor also said Kaduna-based Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, was not involved in the safe return of the pupils, though the cleric had offered to negotiate with bandits for the release of the pupils.
Sani said, “All those speculations you are hearing today are figment of some people’s imagination. I can tell you that without any fear of contradiction. There was nothing like Gumi in this operation. I can tell you. I won’t undermine the efforts of our Armed Forces.”
Menacing Trend
The abduction of schoolchildren in Nigeria has reached an alarming rate with insurgents profiting from the menace as they collect ransom to the tune of hundreds of millions to release abducted children.
Recently, some pupils and staff members of Apostolic Faith School in Ekiti State were abducted on January 29, 2024 from their school bus. They were heading to Emure-Ekiti when assailants intercepted them at Eporo-Ekiti. They later regained freedom about a week later while the driver of the bus was found dead.
The abduction of the Kuriga pupils was not the first in the series of mass kidnapping of schoolchildren in the country. From Chibok to Dapchi, Kankara, Kagara, and many others in Kaduna Katsina, Niger states, terrorists have in the last years seized thousands of schoolchildren in mass kidnappings that attracted global outrage. While some of the students eventually regains freedom, others have been perpetually detained in the enclaves of their abductors and sexual abusers.