The jubilation was contagious. The celebration that followed the news of the release of 137 schoolchildren abducted from Kuriga, Kaduna State made worried parents abandon places of worship to look out for the arrival of the released schoolchildren. However, there is still a cloud on whatever has happened to the remaining students since it was reported that 287 students

President Bola Tinubu has welcomed the news of the release of the Kuriga school children in Kaduna State and emphasized the importance of collaboration between the federal government and states for expected outcomes, “especially on matters of security.”

A statement by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, said “the President commended the National Security Adviser, the Security Agencies, and the Kaduna State Government for the dispatch and diligence with which they handled this situation.”

He noted that incipient urgency, meticulous attention, and tireless dedication were critical to optimal outcomes in cases of mass abductions. President Tinubu also welcomed the release of pupils of a Tsangaya school in Sokoto State, commending all the parties to the feat for their valiant effort.

Senator Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna state who broke the good news to the troubled good people of Kaduna state announced their release in a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) page in the early hours of Sunday.

“I wish to announce that our Kuriga school children have been released”, governor Sani wrote. The primary and secondary school students were abducted on 7 March , 2024. His announcement was silent on the number of students released so far.

Shortly after the governor broke the news, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) explained how the feat was achieved. According to DHQ,the abducted Kuriga students were rescued through a coordinated rescue operation by the military in collaboration with local authorities and government agencies.

In a statement on Sunday, Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, said a total of 137 persons comprising 76 females and 61 males were rescued in Zamfara state.

He said the rescued persons would be handed over to the Kaduna government for further action.

The Director General of the World Trade Organization, WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has called for the protection of schools through the Safe Schools Initiative in Nigeria. She was reacting to the rescue of school children from Kuriga area of Kaduna State.

Okonjo-Iweala posted on X: “Wonderful news on the release of the abducted children from Kuriga!! Thanks to the Security forces and all in Govt involved in their release.“Now let the Safe Schools Initiative kick in to better protect our children and encourage parents to send and keep their children in school.”

“Relatedly, it would be recalled that on March 21, troops equally rescued 16 pupils (Almajiris) with a woman taken hostage in Gada local government area of Sokoto state,” he said.

“These hostages were handed over to the Sokoto state government. These efforts demonstrate the armed forces’ resolve to find other innocent hostages and track down the terrorists that perpetrated these crimes.

“These efforts would continue until other hostages are found and the terrorists arrested, tried, and brought to justice by Nigerian law.

“Troops are employing similar efforts to track down the culprits responsible for the killing of 18 soldiers in Okuama community in Delta state. Justice awaits the culprits, as they can not go unpunished.”

Governor Sani wrote:” I wish to announce that our Kuriga school children have been released. “Our special appreciation goes to our dear President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for prioritizing the safety and security of Nigerians and particularly ensuring that the abducted Kuriga school children are released unharmed.

“While the school children were in captivity, I spoke with Mr. President several times. He shared our pains, comforted us and worked round the clock with us to ensure the safe return of the children”, he said.

Although Mallam Sani Abdullahi, a teacher at Government Secondary School Kuriga, had said 287 students were missing after the attack, the military in their statement said 137 persons were rescued.

While announcing their release early on Sunday, the governor did not indicate if all the abducted students were freed.

The governor also thanked Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser, and the Nigerian Army for their efforts in facilitating the release of the schoolchildren.

His words: “Special mention must also be made of our dear brother, the National Security Adviser, Mal. Nuhu Ribadu for his exemplary leadership. I spent sleepless nights with Mallam Ribadu fine-tuning strategies and coordinating the operations of the security agencies, which eventually resulted in this successful outcome.

“The Nigerian Army also deserves special commendation for showing that with courage, determination and commitment, criminal elements can be degraded and security restored in our communities.

“We also thank all Nigerians who prayed fervently for the safe return of the school children. This is indeed a day of joy.”

Since the 2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State, unconfirmed records revealed that more than 1,680 schoolchildren have been kidnapped in Nigeria since the Chibok incident.

The Chibok abduction made global headlines and sparked the #BringBackOurGirls movement and protests, which attracted public support from celebrities and public figures including Malala Yousafzai, Hillary Clinton, and then First Lady Michelle Obama.

However, new data analysis by Save the Children reveals that attacks on schools have been continuing out of the spotlight and highlights the violence that schoolchildren and teachers face across Nigeria.

According to the data, in addition to the abductions, over 180 schoolchildren were killed and nearly 90 injured in 70 attacks between April 2014 and December 2022, with an estimated 60 school staff kidnapped and 14 killed. Twenty-five school buildings were reportedly destroyed during that period.

The report said the majority of these attacks took place in North-West Nigeria (49 attacks), followed by North-Central Nigeria (11 attacks).

“These attacks have long-lasting consequences for communities and for children’s access to education, often leading to the mass withdrawal of children from school and school closures. Borno State, with fear of attacks stopping some children from ever attending school”, said Save the Children.

The Save the Children report said Katsina state in the Northwestern part of the country, had nearly 100 schools closed due to insecurity, affecting the education of over 30,000 children.

The Country Director at Save the Children Nigeria, Famari Barro, said more needs to be done to prevent attacks but also to support children and their families in the aftermath.