How we secured their freedom –FG

From John Adams Minna

The 100 schoolchildren of St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State that regained their freedom on Sunday night have been handed over to the Niger State government.

The schoolchildren comprising mostly nursery and primary section who looked frail and exhausted, arrived at Government House, Minna at about 5:15pm under heavy security.

In a brief handing over ceremony, representative of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Wing Commander Abdullahi Idi Hong, said the release of the children was made possible following intensified intervention by the Federal Government.

He said the rescue operation carried out by combined efforts of the Army, the DSS and the Police was a seamless operation.

Receiving the children, Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago said the release of the school children was an important day for the government and people of the state.

He thanked President Bola Tinubu, NSA Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and all the security agents that made the release possible.

He said government was praying for the release of the remaining children. He disclosed that the children would undergo medical check before reuniting with their families.

The children were part of the 315 persons seized on November 21 when armed bandits stormed the remote school community around 2am, operated unhindered for nearly three hours and abducted 303 students and 12 teachers.

In the first 24 hours after the attack, 50 of the students escaped and were reunited with their families, leaving 253 children and 12 teachers.

To contain the crisis, the Federal Government enforced a 24-hour security lockdown across the area and launched wide-ranging aerial surveillance covering parts of Niger, Kwara and Kebbi States.

President Bola Tinubu also cancelled a scheduled international trip to oversee the rescue operations personally.

All schools in Niger State and several federal institutions in other high-risk areas were ordered shut indefinitely.

However last week, Ribadu visited Kontagora to meet the Catholic Bishop of the Diocese, Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, and distraught parents of the abducted children. Ribadu assured that the pupils were in stable condition and would soon be returned safely.

“God is with them and God is with us. Evil will never win. They are going to come back. I give you that assurance,” he stated during the visit.

With 100 children now free, attention shifts to the fate of the remaining captives as security agencies continue coordinated operations to secure their release.

Further updates from authorities are expected soon.

Traditional rulers, National Assembly members, members of the state executive council and heads of security agencies in the state were present at the handing over ceremony.