Nigeria: Kidnapped Schoolboys Freed (Video)

Hundreds of kidnapped schoolboys who are students of the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, in Katsina state have been freed, a government official has said.

The schoolboys were kidnapped in their school premises in Katsina state, Northwestern Nigeria, allegedly when bandits invaded the School on Friday December 11, 2020..

The Katsina State Government on Thursday night at about 9pm announced the release of the 333 schoolboys.

A video of the kidnapped schoolboys appeared online Thursday showing an older boy pleading with the government to negotiate with their abductors and secure their release. The boy also claimed that they had been abducted by a faction of Boko Haram.

The video shows dozens of children under a tree, who appear tired. The voice in the video claims to be Abubakar Shekau, a leader of one of Boko Haram’s factions.

A government official says Boko Haram had no hand in the abduction of the boys. “The boys were allegedly kidnapped by bandits parading as Boko Haram to gain notoriety” he claims.

The Nigerian military, late on Thursday, rescued 333 of them, who are being brought to the state capital, said Abdu Labaran, a spokesman for state governor Aminu Bello Masari.

A video of the visibly excited freed boys been conveyed to Katsina state capital surfaced on the social media.

Parents of Kidnapped SchoolBoys Staged Protests

Parents of the kidnapped schoolboys kept vigil at the school premises for days in protest of government’s inability to secure the release of the boys earlier.

Governor Aminu Bello Masari has promised the return of the released boys to their parents as soon as possible.