2 killed while 17 kidnapped students successfully rescued from Boko Haram in Nigeria

At least 17 students abducted by the Boko Haram armed group from a school in northwestern Nigeria were liberated on Tuesday, announced an official, adding that two students died in operation.

Thursday, 17th December 2020

Parents and residents continue to demonstrate for the release of the students

At least 17 students abducted by the Boko Haram armed group from a school in northwestern Nigeria were liberated on Tuesday, announced an official, adding that two students died in operation. Katsina state’s Governor Aminu Masari said on a local radio station he had arranged an operation to be taken out after hundreds of students were kidnapped by the organisation from a boarding school in Kankara, a tiny town in Katsina, on Friday. On Tuesday, Boko Haram, which had captured hundreds of schoolgirls in the nation's Chibok region in 2014, declared responsibility. “The preponderance of the kidnapped pupils are in the Zamfara forest in the nearby provinces. Attempts are underway to save them,” he stated. Katsina state’s police spokesperson Gambo Isah announced that a security guard was wounded during the process and further security forces would be transmitted to the area for search and rescue services. Attackers on motorcycles attacked the all-boys Government Science Secondary School late on Friday and attacked security forces in a violent gunfight, trapping hundreds of students to escape and hide in the neighbouring forest. Defence Minister Bashir Salihi Magashi toured the area, ensuring the students would be liberated soon, as parents and residents proceeded to protest for their rescue. The number of missing students also continues to be unclear – 320 or 333, according to two accounts by authorities, while residents in Kankara put it at more than 500. Masari has directed the closure of all boarding schools in the state in the watch of the crime. In a statement, President Muhammadu Buhari denounced the “dastardly attack” by Boko Haram “on innocent children”, maintaining the security forces had started an operation. The kidnapping took place hundreds of kilometres away from Boko Haram’s centre in northeast Nigeria, sparking fears of an extensive increase in the group’s actions. Fears that Boko Haram was creating incursions into the northwest have been stewing for some time. About 8,000 people have been killed in the area since 2011, according to the International Crisis Group (ICG) think-tank. The kidnappings happened in the home state of Buhari, who was touring the area when the strike occurred. Buhari has started the fight against Boko Haram an advantage, but the security condition in northern Nigeria has worsened since his 2015 election. The government has not quickly reacted to Boko Haram’s claim or verified its authenticity.

Monika Walker

Monika Walker is an experienced journalist specializing in global political developments and international relations. With a keen eye for accuracy and analysis, Monika has been reporting for over a decade, bringing stories to light that matter to readers around the world. She holds a degree in International Journalism and is passionate about giving a voice to underrepresented communities through factual reporting.