Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State says contrary to reports, 137 schoolchildren, and not 287 schoolchildren, were abducted on March 7, 2024 from Kuriga in the Chikun Local Government Area of the state.
The governor, who made the clarification on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, said all the schoolchildren abducted by marauding bandits have been rescued by the military in collaboration with local authorities from neighbouring Zamfara State, where the hostages were moved by their kidnappers.
The schoolchildren were abducted from LEA Primary School and Government Secondary School, Kuriga, about four weeks ago.
The Defence Headquarters, on Saturday, said a total of 137 students were rescued, contrary to reports that 287 children were abducted by bandits.
The relieved governor said the number released by the military is the authentic figure, describing “287”, as a figment of some people’s imagination.
Sani, however, regreted that a teacher who was kidnapped alongside the pupils couldn’t make it out alive as he developed some complications while in captivity. He commiserated with the family of the deceased teacher and consoled the families of the released schoolchildren.
The governor also said Kaduna-based Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, was not involved in the safe return of the pupils, though the cleric had offered to negotiate with bandits for the release of the pupils.
