The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, on Sunday said 137, Kuriga school children were rescued from their abductors in Zamfara State.
Buba in a statement said the rescued school children comprised of
76 females and 61 males.
He said troops with the support of local authorities and government agencies rescued the victims in the early hours of Sunday during the an operation suring which forests in Zamfara State were combed and they were finally located and rescued.
Buba did not state whether ransom was paid,
He did not also disclose whether some of the pupils are still being held by abductors in view of the earlier reports which said 287 pupils and teachers were kidnapped.
He said that the rescued school children were handed over to the Sokoto State Government, saying that they will later be handed over to the Kaduna State government.
“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, 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,” Buba explained.
He said the successful rescue of the school children was a proof of the resolve of the Nigeria Army to rescue kidnapped victims across the country.
He added that similar efforts are on going to track down those behind the killing of soldiers in Delta State.
“These efforts demonstrate the armed forces’ resolve to find 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 efforts to track down the culprits responsible for the killings of 18 soldiers in Okuama Community in Delta State,” Buba said in a statement. (vitalnewsngr.com)
