The release of 279 kidnapped students

The governor of Zamfara state in northern Nigeria, Billu Mattawali, announced today the release of the 279 school-age girls who were abducted from their boarding school on Friday and will arrive at the government headquarters. “I am pleased to announce that girls are now free,” said Mattawali. They have just arrived at the government headquarters and are in good health ”.

The authorities had originally announced that 317 schoolchildren had been abducted during an attack by hundreds of gunmen at the “government secondary school for girls” in the remote village of Janjibi. But Mattawali clarified that “the total number of girls who were abducted from the school is 279”, adding: “They are all with us here now. We thank God.”
Nigeria witnessed four large-scale kidnappings of students in less than three months, sparking anger at the government and recalling the 2014 kidnapping of hundreds of schoolchildren in Chibok (east). Government officials had held talks with the kidnappers, who are referred to locally as “bandits.”
It is reported that these gangs usually conduct their operations for economic reasons and there are no known ideological leanings, but it is feared that they may be infiltrated by armed Islamic groups. While authorities have denied paying ransom for the recent release of the hostages, analysts dismiss it, while security experts fear that this will lead to an increase in kidnappings in these extremely poor areas.

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