A group of 24 Nigerian girls who were abducted from their boarding school more than a week ago has been released, according to President Bola Tinubu. The girls were taken on November 17 in Kebbi State when armed assailants stormed the school, leading to the deaths of two staff members and the abduction of around 25 students, though two students managed to escape shortly after the incident.
While President Tinubu commended security forces for their quick response, the details surrounding the release of the girls remain unclear. The incident has contributed to a troubling trend of abductions in Nigeria, with over 250 children still missing following a separate incident at a Catholic school last Friday.
A special adviser to the president confirmed that all girls taken from the Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School have now been accounted for, but the raid has reportedly led to copycat kidnappings in nearby states. In response to the ongoing issue of kidnappings, Tinubu announced plans to deploy additional personnel to vulnerable areas to prevent further incidents. The Air Force is also expected to enhance surveillance in remote regions.
Since 2014, more than 1,500 children have been abducted from schools across Nigeria, a crisis intensified by the notorious Chibok mass abduction incident. Just last week, at least 300 children and staff were taken from a Catholic boarding school in Niger State, and approximately 250 are believed to still be unaccounted for, although some officials have disputed these numbers.
The main Catholic cleric in the region criticized the government for what he described as a lack of meaningful effort to rescue the missing individuals. As the situation unfolds, former UK Prime Minister and UN education envoy Gordon Brown called for international support to ensure the safety of schools in Nigeria and the safe return of abducted children. The rise of kidnappings by criminal gangs has become a pressing issue in many parts of the country, particularly in the north-east, where jihadist groups have been active for over a decade.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgmnv3yd28zo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss