The Nigerian army has successfully rescued 17 students and a woman who were abducted during a dawn raid by armed individuals two weeks ago in the northwest Sokoto state, as confirmed by the state governor on Saturday.
The attack, which occurred on March 9 at Tsangaya school, follows closely after the mass abduction of schoolchildren in Kaduna, also located in the north. Unfortunately, the whereabouts of those kidnapped students in Kaduna remain unknown.
Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto stated that the rescue operation, which took place on Friday, was conducted in collaboration with the army and the office of the National Security Adviser. He assured that all the rescued children are in good health and ready to be reunited with their families, although specifics regarding the rescue operation were not disclosed.
Liman Abubakar Bakuso, the school owner, mentioned that he is on his way to Sokoto capital to bring back the students. He emphasized that no ransom was paid for their release, as neither he nor the parents were contacted for any ransom payments.
Kidnappings carried out by criminal gangs, often demanding ransoms, have become distressingly common, particularly in northern Nigeria. These incidents deeply impact families and communities, forcing them to gather resources to meet ransom demands, sometimes resulting in the sale of assets such as land, cattle, and grains to secure the release of their loved ones.
