All 24 schoolgirls who were kidnapped from a school in north-western Nigeria last week have been rescued, President Bola Tinubu announced on Tuesday. The girls, aged between 12 and 13, were abducted on 17 November from the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Kebbi State's Maga town. One girl escaped on the same day, leaving 24 in captivity.
President Tinubu expressed relief at the rescue, stating, 'I am relieved that all the 24 girls have been accounted for.' He called for increased security in vulnerable areas to prevent further incidents. No details of the rescue operation were released, and the girls remain in the custody of authorities.
The abduction is part of a spate of mass kidnappings in Nigeria. Last Friday, over 300 students and staff were taken from St Mary's School in Niger State, with 50 escaping over the weekend. Additionally, 38 worshippers kidnapped during a church attack in Kwara State were freed on Sunday.
Abdulkarim Abdullahi, father of two of the rescued girls, said, 'I am excited to receive the news of their freedom. The past few days have been difficult for me and my family.' He added that he was awaiting confirmation of their wellbeing.
No group has claimed responsibility for the recent abductions, but analysts attribute them to gangs of bandits, often former herders, who use kidnapping for ransom. School kidnappings have become a defining security issue in Nigeria, with at least 1,500 students seized since the Chibok abductions over a decade ago.
