The students of Government Secondary School (GSS) Kuriga in Gwagwada District, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, abducted by gunmen, have regained their freedom.

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, disclosed this in a statement shared on his X (formerly Twitter) page in the early hours of Sunday, March 24, 2024.

Sani, who disclosed that the students were released unharmed, said: “I wish to announce that our Kuriga school children have been released.

“Our special appreciation goes to our dear President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for prioritizing the safety and security of Nigerians and particularly ensuring that the abducted Kuriga school children are released unharmed.

“While the school children were in captivity, I spoke with Mr. President several times. He shared our pains, comforted us and worked round the clock with us to ensure the safe return of the children.

‘We’ll kill them in 20 days’: Bandits demand N1bn to release Kaduna students

“Special mention must also be made of our dear brother, the National Security Adviser, Mal. Nuhu Ribadu for his exemplary leadership. I spent sleepless nights with Mal. Ribadu finetuning strategies and coordinating the operations of the security agencies, which eventually resulted in this successful outcome.

“The Nigerian Army also deserves special commendation for showing that with courage, determination and commitment, criminal elements can be degraded and security restored in our communities.

“We also thank all Nigerians who prayed fervently for the safe return of the school children. This is indeed a day of joy.”

The Star recalls that 286 GSS students were abducted by gunmen suspected to be bandits on March 7.

The bandits later demanded N1 billion for the release of the kidnapped students and vowed to kill the victims if the ransom demand was not met in 20 days, effective from the date of the abduction (March 7).

A community leader, Jubril Aminu, who acts as a spokesman for the families of the abducted victims, disclosed that he received a call on his phone from the kidnappers on March 12.

Aminu said: “They made a total of N1 billion ransom demand for all the pupils, students, and staff of the school.

“They gave an ultimatum to pay the ransom within 20 days, effective from the date of the kidnap. They said they will kill all the students and the staff if the ransom demand is not met.”

Governor Sani, however, failed to disclose if any ransom was paid for the release of the abducted students.

The governor also did not reveal the number of abducted victims released by the gunmen.

The Star