The General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army and Force Commander Operation WHIRL PUNCH, Major General Mayirenso Saraso, has said that six out of 137 rescued students are in the hospital.
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He noted that they would be allowed to join their fellow students when doctors certify them fit.
Saraso made the disclosure on Monday after handing over 131 Kuriga children to the Kanduna state governor, Uba Sani.
Recall that 137 school children were abducted on March 7th 2024 from a school in Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Saraso also announced that one teacher Mr Abubakar who was also abducted, died in captivity.
In his words: “We successfully freed 137, but you will discover that 6 of them are not presently with us here, they are being attended to medically in our facility at Darlet Barracks, one male with five female students who have been hospitalised. His Excellency visited them last night and he saw all the students including those lying on hospital beds. So those six when eventually discharged when they get better will join their 131 colleagues that are here physically present to complete the figure of 137.
“Recall that on Thursday, 7th March 2024, some Violent Extremists and Insurgents (VE/I) infamously called armed bandits 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 the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the abducted Kuriga school children have in the early hours of yesterday 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 Dandadau, in Zamfara State before being served refreshment and subsequently conveyed from there under escort to Kaduna this morning/afternoon.
“In all, 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 and LEA Primary Schools 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 altogether (less the teacher that died while in captivity)”. Vanguard.