By Valentine Amanze, Online Editor
The abducted students of Government Science Secondary School, Kagara, in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State have regained their freedom and arrived in Minna, the state capital.
Sources, who confirmed their release by the bandits, said that they were already in Minna waiting for the state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello.
The sources also confirmed that the released victims consist of schoolchildren, some girls and their family members.
The students were said to have been taken to a location away from the Government House in Minna.
Although it is not certain whether a ransom was paid to secure the release of the students, Governor Bello had repeatedly said that his administration would not pay money to the bandits.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he was happy to know that the abducted students had been released.
The President, in a statement issued today by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, welcome the students’ release, commending the nation’s security and intelligence agencies and the government of Niger State for their responses in securing the release.
His words: “We are happy they have been released,” while sympathising with the staff and the students, their parents and friends on the ordeal.
He, however, warned that the country would not continue to suffer the attacks that threaten the growth of education, the security and life of the future leaders at the same time putting the nation in a negative light.
Buhari also reiterated his earlier advice to school owners, particularly the state and local governments, as well as religious organizations to scale up security around their schools in line with the standards laid down by the UN-backed Safe School Programme of the administration.
President Buhari however condemned the school abductions, with latest one at the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Zamfara State.
He also urged all security and intelligence agencies in the country to hunt down the culprits and bring them to justice.
