The Presidency, on Tuesday, disclosed that 24 schoolgirls abducted in Maga, Kebbi State, have regained their freedom.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, said that President Bola Tinubu welcomed the release of the 24 schoolgirls.
According to him, Tinubu applauded the security agencies for the efforts made to secure the freedom of all the victims taken away by the terrorists.
He tasked the security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the remaining students still being held captive.
“I am relieved that all the 24 girls have been accounted for. Now, we must, as a matter of urgency, put more boots on the ground in vulnerable areas to avert further incidents of kidnapping. My government will offer all the assistance needed to achieve this,” President Tinubu said.
Kebbi State governor, Nasir Idris, also confirmed the release of the 24 abducted schoolgirls.
The governor stated that no ransom was paid by either the state or Federal Government for the release of the girls. He added that the children will be handed over to their parents on Wednesday.
Governor Idris expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his concern and for directing security agencies to ensure the rescue of the girls.
Terrorists struck the school at dawn on November 17 and abducted the girls, moments after a military detachment allegedly left the premises.
The attackers killed the school’s Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, before abducting the schoolgirls.
The Kebbi incident triggered similar kidnappings in Eruku, Kwara State, and Papiri in Niger State.
All 38 kidnapped victims in Eruku were freed on Sunday. On the same day, the Niger State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria said 50 of the missing students of the Catholic school in Niger had been found in their parents’ homes.
Three days after the Kebbi abduction, the Chairman of Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area, Hussaini Aliyu, released the names of the schoolgirls.
Aliyu gave their names as follows:
Senior Secondary School 2A
1. Fatima Sani Zimri
2. Hafsat Ibrahim
3. Nana Firdausi Jibril
4. Masauda Yakubu Romo
Senior Secondary School 2B
5. Hauwa Saleh
6. Hauwau Umar Imam
Senior Secondary School 3A & 3B
7. Salima Garba Umar
8. Salima Sani Zimri
9. Amina G. Umar
10. Rashida Muhammad Dingu
11. Saliha Umar
12. Aisha Usman
13. Jamila Iliyasu
14. Maryam Illiyasu
15. Najaatu Abdullahi
16. Zainab Kolo
Junior Secondary School 3A
17. Surraya Tukur
18. Hafsat Umar Yalmo
19. Maryam Usman
20. Amina Illiyasu
21. Ikilima Suleman
Junior Secondary School 2
22. Khadija Nazifi
23. Hauwa’u Iliyasu
24. Hauwa’u Lawali
25. Ummu Kulsum Abdulkarim