How our abductors fed us with bread and akara, never molested us – Kuriga school children

The Nigerian Army Monday handed over 131 of the 137 rescued school children of Government Secondary School and the LEA Primary School, both in Kuriga, Kaduna state, to the state government for onward transfer to their children.

Blueprint gathered that the six others were at the time of this report in a military hospital, even as the 138th victim who happened to be the only teacher abducted, died in captivity following some complications.

The students were abducted by the terrorists March 7, 2024, in one of the series of attacks on some communities in Kaduna state.

Some of the students, who shared their experience publicly, said their abductors never molested them during their 16-day stay in their enclave.

The school children, who were looking calm and stable, arrived the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House gate at exactly 2:07pm in two Coaster and three 18-seater buses.

Blueprint observed that some of them appeared to have leg injury as they were seen limping, while one was seen with a bandaged ankle.

The pupils were ushered into the Government House courtyard where they were received by government officials and heads of security agencies in the state.

…‘Our ordeal’

The state governor, Senator Uba Sani, had during a visit to the children at the Military Hospital Sunday night, said one of the rescued secondary school students, Aisha, confirmed to him that all the victims were rescued.

She also said none of them was molested by their abductors, as the bandits had zero tolerance for molestation.

One of the children said they were fed with bread and bean cake (akara) during their 16 days in captivity.

Aisha, in a viral video, said: “We have returned completely, nobody is missing. We were 138, but, 137 of us came back. The one that didn’t come back was our teacher who died in the captivity. We were not molested; they (bandits) don’t touch women. They even warned themselves not to molest any female; they said whoever molests any female is not forgiven and God will judge the person.”

Asked about her future ambition, Aisha said: “I want to study medicine and become a medical doctor.” One of the girls who also spoke to journalists at the Government House, said: “They never beat us, especially we that are girls. Though, once in a while, they beat our boys, but generally, they were kind to us. They were always providing us with bread and bean cake (kose, akara).”

Another of the girls also told the governor she wanted to become a soldier, so that she can help rid Nigeria of insecurity.

After being handed over by the military to the governor, the students are expected to be moved to the Women and Children Shelter, Kaduna, where they would be taken through psychosocial therapy to ease their reintegration back to the society and be provided with treatment by the Kaduna state government, for any ailment or injury they may have suffered, before reuniting with their parents.

…Governor Sani speaks

Receiving the Kuriga school children, Governor Sani said: “I want to appreciate our children who are here with us and are in high spirit. These children here are exactly 131, there are six of them that I saw at the hospital yesterday night, they are there receiving treatment; five girls and one boy, they are at the hospital. The children confirmed to me that 137 of them were abducted and the 137 students were returned back safely.

“From the very day that our children were unfortunately abducted from their school in Kuriga community, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been with us from day one. He ensured that the security should return our children home safely. I want to thank the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu for his able leadership, all the service chiefs and all security agencies for their respective contributions and organised efforts, and that is why we are here today and happy to celebrate the release of our children.

“I want to appreciate many Nigerians who prayed day and night for the release of the children, and today God has answered our prayers. I want to make one clarification here; when this incident happened, some of us have been very encouraging with the efforts of the security agencies because we are working with them closely, sharing a lot of intelligence report and we have been giving information and that is why we are here today.”

…Cautions conflict merchants

The governor further said: “I also want to caution insecurity and conflict merchants in Nigeria to be cautious with their utterances because before the release of our children, a lot of people have been coming with a lot of permutation on how these children were released, what happened. The important thing for us in Kaduna is that the children are here with us. This is more important. As government, it is our duty to protect life and property of our citizens. Under my government, Kaduna state will continue to prioritise security because security is number one agenda of our government.

“We should not prioritise issues of insecurity in Nigeria. It is not good to undermine the efforts of security agencies in Nigeria. I want to caution the media and some elements in the society about permutation of the school children, in my own opinion; it is just to celebrate their release. And the families of these children are already happy and they are celebrating. We are all happy because we had 16 days of sleepless nights, but today we are happy the children are back and I want to emphasize that we will continue to make security efforts so that all our local government areas and communities are safe.

“Insecurity merchants said there are 287 children abducted most of their statements are senseless and irresponsible. Conflict and insecurity merchants should be careful with the way they peddle their trade because here in Kaduna there is no place for them.”

…GOC on rescue

Speaking on the rescue of the school children while handing them over to the governor, the GOC 1 Division, Major-General Mayirenso Saraso, said the students were rescued through kinetic and non- kinetic efforts of all security agencies in the country under the supervision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He said: “On Thursday, 7th March, 2024, some violent extremists and insurgents invaded the LEA Primary School and the Government Secondary School both co-located at Kuriga, in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna state, where they criminally abducted several pupils and students including a staff member of one of the two schools.

“Through the sustained and coordinated application of both kinetic and non-kinetic efforts by the security agencies under the strategic guidance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the abducted Kuriga school children have in the early hours of Sunday 24th March 2024, been safely rescued after spending about 16 days in captivity.

“The students were initially received and administered first aid at the Nigerian Army Troops Forward Operating Base, Dansadau, in Zamfara state before being served refreshment and subsequently conveyed from there under escort to Kaduna this morning/afternoon. There were 137 children and one staff member making 138 persons altogether that were abducted from the co-located schools on the ill-fated day. But unfortunately, the staff member, Mr Abubakar is not here with us today because he died while in captivity.

“Consequently, there are here at present, a total of 137 students of the Govt Secondary School and LEA Primary School Kuriga in Chikun LGA of Kaduna state who were successfully rescued from captivity around Dansadau Forest in Zamfara state and safely brought back to Kaduna. The breakdown of the figure of the rescued children shows that there are 76 females and 61 males making the total of 137 all together (less the teacher that died while in captivity),”

…No ransom paid – FG

Meanwhile, the federal government Monday said no ransom was paid to secure the release of the abducted Kuriga school children.

Minister of Information and National Orientation Mr Mohammed Idris said this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, chaired by President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.

“The Council was briefed on the school of children Kuriga Kaduna state, and Sokoto. Mr President and members of council were happy to note that as promised by Mr. President, these children were reunited or had been rescued from these captors, and as usual and in keeping with the commitment of Mr. President no ransom was paid.

“The Federal Executive Council and Mr. President are very grateful to especially the National Security Adviser, the service chiefs and all security agents who participated diligently in ensuring that these kidnapped children were reunited with their families.

“Government is determined to ensure that the lives and property of all Nigerians are protected at all times and Mr. President has also charged security agencies to ensure that these kidnappings are brought to a halt finally in this country. Indeed, all those who are participating in this criminal act will be fished out by the security agencies and will never go unpunished,” he said.

On theKaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, who offered to negotiate for the students’ release, Idris said: “Government will stop at nothing to get any kind of information that is required to solve our problems the security agencies are up and doing.

“Sheik Gumi or any other individuals are not above the law, if he has suggestions that are good enough and that are constructive enough for the security agencies to take, they will take. But if they think that he is also making some statements that appear to be reckless, he will also be reprimanded.

“There is nobody that is above the law. Let me put it here. And I’m aware that he has been also a guest of security agencies to answer questions.

“When you make remarks especially remarks that border on our national security it is incumbent on our national security to think further and they are doing just that, no one is above the law.”