Nigerian authorities release 137 school children kidnapped by gunmen

(MENAFN) In a televised interview aired on Sunday, the governor of Nigeria's Kaduna state, Uba Sani, confirmed the release of at least 137 school children who had been abducted by armed gunmen earlier this month.

During the interview broadcasted on Nigeria's Channels Television, Governor Uba Sani mentioned that he had personally met with the families of the abducted children.

“I am happy, the families are happy, we are all happy the children have been rescued,” he reported to the news agency.

Governor Uba Sani also revealed during the interview that tragically, a teacher had passed away due to unspecified complications while in captivity. However, he did not provide further details regarding the circumstances of the teacher's death.

The incident took place on March 7, when over 300 students were abducted by armed bandits on motorcycles who raided the LEA Primary and Secondary School in Kuriga village, located in Kaduna's Chikun district. This information was conveyed by state police to CNN at the time of the abduction.

Kaduna state, situated bordering the Nigerian capital Abuja to the southwest, has been grappling with recurring incidents of kidnappings for ransom perpetrated by bandits. The region has unfortunately witnessed several mass abductions in recent years, highlighting the ongoing security challenges faced by the area.

In a previous post shared on X, Governor Uba Sani was depicted addressing numerous children, saying that he was “glad to see our released children in high spirits on Sunday evening.”

He added that they would carry on to “undergo psychosocial counseling” and get “proper medical supervision.”

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