More than 200 students and staff members who were kidnapped by armed individuals from a school in northern Nigeria earlier this month have been freed unharmed, according to the office of the governor of Kaduna state. This development occurred just days before the expiration of a ransom deadline set by the kidnappers, who demanded $690,000.
The abduction occurred on March 7 in Kuriga, a town located in northwestern Kaduna State. This incident marked the first mass kidnapping in Nigeria since 2021 when over 150 students were abducted from a high school in Kaduna.
Previously, such abductions were associated with the jihadist group Boko Haram, which infamously kidnapped 276 students from a girls’ school in Chibok, northeastern Borno State, ten years ago. However, criminal gangs without ideological affiliations have increasingly adopted this tactic, often seeking ransom payments.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna credited the National Security Adviser for coordinating the release of the Kuriga schoolchildren, although specific details were not provided. He also commended the Nigerian Army for their efforts in degrading criminal elements and restoring security in communities.
Last week, the kidnappers demanded a ransom of 1 billion naira ($690,000) for the release of the abducted individuals. Despite the government’s stance against paying ransoms, as it was outlawed in 2022, kidnappings for ransom have become distressingly common in northern Nigeria. Families and communities are often forced to exhaust their resources to secure the release of their loved ones, leading to significant financial strain and hardship.
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