Over 130 Nigerian schoolchildren, who were held captive for more than two weeks, were joyfully reunited with their parents in Kaduna. The emotional meeting took place at a government facility where the children are currently receiving medical care.
The children were abducted on March 7 by motorcycle-riding gunmen in the town of Kuriga, Kaduna state. After being forced to march to nearby forests amid gunfire, they were rescued by the Nigerian military from a forest in Zamfara state, about 200 kilometers away.
Parents expressed tears of joy and relief as they hugged their children for the first time since the harrowing ordeal began. One staff member who was taken with the students tragically lost their life during captivity.
While the children are receiving medical support, it remains uncertain when they will be allowed to return home. The government has assured the parents that arrangements will be made for their safe return this week.
This incident is part of a series of mass school abductions that have plagued Nigeria in recent years. No ransom was paid for the release of these children, and details of the rescue operation remain undisclosed.
Authorities have attributed the kidnapping to bandit groups known for violence and ransom demands in the conflict-affected regions of northern Nigeria. Despite the prevalence of such incidents, arrests of perpetrators are rare, with most victims being released after ransom payments.
Since the infamous 2014 kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram militants in Chibok, over 1,400 students have been abducted from Nigerian schools. The country's northwestern and central regions have been particularly vulnerable to such attacks, with armed groups targeting villagers and travelers for ransom.
