24 schoolgirls kidnapped from Kebbi in Nigeria have been rescued

[ad_1] SOKOTO, Nigeria (AP) — All 24 schoolgirls held by assailants following a mass abduction final week from a college in northwestern Nigeria have been rescued, the nation’s president introduced Tuesday.

A complete of 25 women had been kidnapped Nov. 17 from the Authorities Ladies Complete Secondary College in Kebbi state’s Maga city, however certainly one of them was able to escape the identical day, the varsity’s principal mentioned. The remaining 24 had been all rescued, in line with an announcement from President Bola Tinubu, although no particulars had been launched concerning the rescue.

“I'm relieved that each one the 24 women have been accounted for. Now, we should put as a matter of urgency extra boots on the bottom within the weak areas to avert additional incidents of kidnapping,” the assertion quoted Tinubu as saying.

The assault in Kebbi was amongst a spate of recent mass abductions in Nigeria, together with a raid Friday on the Saint Mary’s School in north-central Niger state through which greater than 300 college students and employees from the Catholic college had been kidnapped. Fifty students escaped over the weekend.

Musa Rabi Magaji, principal of the primarily Muslim college in Kebbi, instructed The Related Press that the entire women had been launched however that they had been nonetheless within the custody of authorities. He had no quick particulars of their situation.

Abdulkarim Abdullahi, whose two daughters aged 12 and 13 had been amongst these kidnapped, mentioned authorities instructed him the ladies had been being taken to the state capital of Birnin Kebbi.

“I'm excited to obtain the information of their freedom, the previous few days have been tough for me and my household, particularly their mom,” Abdullahi mentioned in a phone interview. “I'll wait to see from the federal government about their wellbeing, however I can’t wait to see them in good well being.”

On Tuesday, police mentioned gunmen kidnapped 10 folks in a group in central Nigeria’s Kwara state. The state’s police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi mentioned the assault came about within the village of Isapa, which is simply 19 kilometers (12 miles) from Eruku, the place 38 worshippers had been kidnapped during a deadly church attack final week. The 38 have since been freed, Kwara Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq mentioned in an announcement on Sunday.

No group has claimed responsibility for the latest abductions, however analysts and locals say gangs of bandits usually goal colleges, vacationers and distant villagers in kidnappings for ransoms. The gangs have used kidnapping for ransom as a method of dominating distant communities with little authorities and safety presence.

Authorities say the bandits are largely former herders who've taken up arms towards farming communities after clashes between them over strained sources.

School kidnappings have come to outline insecurity in Africa’s most populous nation, and armed gangs usually see colleges as “strategic” targets to attract extra consideration. At least 1,500 students have been seized in Nigeria because the well-known kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls greater than a decade in the past, and lots of the youngsters had been launched solely after ransoms had been paid.

The kidnappings are occurring as U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria, though assaults have affected both Christians and Muslims .

Arrests are uncommon and ransom funds are frequent in lots of the scorching spots in northern Nigeria.

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Adetayo reported from Lagos, Nigeria. Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal. Dyepkazah Shibayan in Abuja, Nigeria contributed.

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