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.
According to the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, the boys were held in the Rugu Forest in Zamfara State before being freed.
“At the moment, 344 of the students have been handed over to security agents. I think we have recovered most of the boys, if not all of them,” Masari said.
“By tomorrow we will get them medically examined and then arrangements will be on the way to reunite them with their families.”
The governor further explained, saying “we had already established indirect contact to try to make sure that we secure the release of the children unharmed.”
We thank God that they took our advice and not a single shot was fired.”
Masari assured that the government will work with the police as well as private security to improve security in schools across the state.
Speaking on the development, President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu in a tweet said the president described the release of the boys as “a big relief to their families, the entire country and international community”.
“President Buhari specifically cited what he called the ‘spirit of partnership and the collaborative efforts of the government of Katsina, Zamfara and military leading to the release’,” he wrote.
