Kaduna: 137 Schoolchildren Were Released From Captivity, 287 Reported False, Says Gov Uba

• Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has clarified that the number of schoolchildren abducted from Kuriga on March 7, 2024, was 137, not 287, as previously reported
• These children were taken from LEA Primary School and Government Secondary School in Kuriga
• The Defence Headquarters confirmed on Saturday that 137 students were rescued, countering earlier claims of 287 children abducted by bandits

Legit.ng journalist Segun Adeyemi has over 9 years of experience covering political events, civil societies, courts, and metro

Uba Sani, the governor of Kaduna, has stated that all 137 schoolchildren who were taken from the Kuriga community in Chikun LGA have been found.

In an interview with Channels Television on Sunday, Sani clarified that despite initial reports of 287 children abducted, the actual number was 137 from both primary and secondary schools.

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On Sunday morning, the governor of Kaduna declared that the schoolchildren who were kidnapped had been set free.

Previously, Sani Abdullahi, a teacher at Government Secondary School Kuriga, had reported that 287 students were unaccounted for following the attack.

However, the governor clarified that the figure of 287 was provided by community members lacking official school records.

The Kaduna governor said:

“There was nobody who ever confirmed that the children were 287. Nobody came with a specific figure. I listened to most media coming up with figures.

“I knew at that time that the figures were not correct because I had been interfacing with the school authorities; we have the register and records in Kaduna. At that critical time, I don’t want to join issues with anyone in terms of numbers.

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“Those numbers were just figments of some people’s imaginations, which they gave to the media. I remember when I visited the community on that very day, some people within the community who had no record just said that the figure was 287."

"Teacher didn't make it out alive", says Gov Uba

Sani expressed remorse over the tragic loss of a teacher who was abducted alongside the students, revealing that the teacher faced health issues during the captivity and didn't survive.

He extended sympathy to the teacher's family and offered consolation to the families of the rescued students.

He said:

“It’s only one person that has not returned and that is the teacher. That is the fact of the matter, but all of the 137 children are safely back.

"We had the unfortunate incident that the teacher couldn’t make it because he had some complications; he was sick — that was the report we got from the military and the security agencies but the rest of the children, all of them are back with us.”

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"How we rescued Kaduna schoolchildren", DHQ reveals

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters announced the successful rescue of 137 individuals abducted from the Kuriga community in Chikun LGA, Kaduna state.

The schoolchildren who were taken in Kaduna were found and liberated in Zamfara state.

The military, working alongside other security agencies, conducted the rescue operation.

Source: Legit.ng