Kaduna: FG Demands Safe, Unconditional Freedom For Abducted Pupils
BY OUR CORRESPONDENT – The Federal Government has demanded the safe and unconditional release of the over 287 students and teachers abducted from the primary and secondary schools in Kuriga village, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna state.
Speaking through the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman (SAN), the government expressed shock over the incident, describing it as one kidnapping too many.

Prof Mamman, who spoke with newsmen on Friday accompanied by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, however, assured that the Ministry of Education is working with the security agencies on how to bring to end such heinous activities of bandits, especially under the Safe School project of the Federal Government.
According to him, the Ministry was in touch with the Kaduna State government and security agencies with all efforts geared towards ensuring that the children and their teachers were released by the bandits unharmed.
The Minister, who urged Nigerians to pray for the safe release of the innocent children and those of their teachers from captivity, said; “We are here to express our shock and disgust in respect of what happened in Kaduna yesterday where close to 300 students and teachers were kidnapped in both primary and secondary school in Kuriga.
“It’s a very sad day for the country. And we appeal to the security agencies to do everything possible including the government of Kaduna State to rescue and bring back these young ones and their teachers unarmed. We will be working with the security agencies to ensure that we bring to an end this type of thing under the Safe School project of the Federal Government.”
Urging Christians to use the opportunity of Lent to put the victims in their prayers, the Minister said; “We sincerely hope these young ones are brought back even before the Ramadan season starts. Our brothers and sisters are already observing the Lent. So we commit them to prayers to the Almighty to protect them and bring them back safely home.
“We are terribly concerned about this development, and we make appropriate appeals to those whose responsibility is to bring back our children, to work as quickly as possible so that these children are returned to their homes and back to school safely”