The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has disclosed that the country got foreign help to secure the release of the 344 abducted schoolboys from Kankara, katsina state. The boys regained their freedom on Thursday night after spending nearly a week in captivity. During the press conference in Abuja today, he revealed that there was a foreign collaboration in the negotiation of the Kankara school boys. He said, “As to whether there was foreign collaboration, don’t forget I said that we thank all patriotic Nigerians and all friends of Nigeria” The Minister said.

President Muhammadu Buhari celebrated the release of the abducted students of the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara. Buhari, in a statement signed by Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu on Thursday, described their safe return as a big relief to their families, the entire country, and the international community. The President also assured Nigerians of the determination of his administration to rescue all citizens held against their will by either terrorists or bandits.

The 344 schoolboys abducted from the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara nearly a week ago by Boko Hram terrorist group have been freed and handed over to the Katsina State Government, a State official said.

A video has today emerged showing the abducted Kankara schoolboy in a bush pleading for a safe return. In the video, the boys were speaking for the terrorist demanding the government to abort any plan of the rescue operation, whether using vigilante of any security forces and should also shut down all school excluding Islamiyyah.

Prominent Nigerians across the nation have continued to demand the unconditional release of the abducted students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State. The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, on Thursday, teamed up with hundreds of women and youths in Abuja to insist on the immediate and safe rescue of the over 300 students.

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), has approved the licensing of 173 private sector Agents and 30 State Governments/Public Sector Institutions to conduct enrolment of Nigerians and legal residents into the National Identity Database (NIDB) on behalf of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). The Director-General/Chief Executive of NIMC, Engr. Aliyu Aziz, who disclosed this on Friday in Abuja, that the licensed agents were explained that the approval was made after the agents successfully fulfilled all the conditions in the advertised Expression of Interest (EOI) which was done in 2019 as a first step towards the take-off the National Digital Identity Ecosystem project.