After days of working to establish contact with the abductors and subsequent negotiations, the victims were released to a team of police and other security agents around 7am on Saturday.
The victims who were received by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello on Saturday recounted their harrowing experience in the hands of their abductors.
Daily Trust on Sunday gathered from reliable sources that the kidnappers, who operate between Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State, and Rafi Local Government in Niger State, had demanded the release of six members of their group arrested at different times by security agents.
Four of the six named persons, were identified in different detention facilities in Katsina, Kaduna and Niger states.
The situation in the area degenerated recently with the abduction of 52 passengers travelling in mass transit buses.
The travellers regained freedom last week, followed by the abduction of students of Government Science Secondary School, Kagaraand some staff of the school.
Over 2,000 children orphaned
Data exclusively obtained by
Daily Trust from the districts under the Kagara Emirate Council indicate that the children were rendered orphans during incessant attacks by armed bandits over the past nine years.
Mallam Salmanu, ‘We have been living in fear over the years’
While some of the orphans are currently taking refuge at internally displaced persons camps (IDPs) in Kagara, Pandogari and other towns, some are in orphanage homes, while others are living with their relatives in different parts of the affected local government area, our reporter gathered.
The bandits kept the victims deep in the forests, making it difficult to reach them with ease.
by SaharaReporters, New York
Feb 28, 2021
Sources have revealed that security operatives agreed to free four bandits arrested to secure the release of staff members and students of Government Science College, Kagara in Niger State abducted by gunmen.
SaharaReporters had reported how bandits stormed the school located in the Rafi Local Government on February 17 where they abducted 27 students, 3 teachers, two non-teaching staff members, and 9 relations of some of the staff members.
They were, however, released on Saturday morning, days after their abduction.
Abubakar Bello, the state governor, had revealed that no ransom was paid to secure their release.
UNICEF representative in Nigeria, Mr Peter Hawkins has described the release of 27 students abducted by gunmen in a government school at Kagara, Niger State over a week ago as a relief.
They said they were fed only once a day and suffered untold hardship.
In a brief interview with newsmen shortly after meeting with the state Governor, Alh. Abubakar Sani Bello some of the students, they said what happened to them was like a dream.
Suleiman Lawal, 18 years said, “We suffered so much in the hands of the kidnappers. I have never experienced such in my life. In fact, I thought I was dreaming because the torture was too much for us. I am happy now that we have been freed. They fed us with beans once daily and they gave all of us five sachet water to drink and that made us very weak. I don’t think I will like to go to that school anymore except there is enough security.