On Sunday, President Bola Tinubu expressed happiness about the release of the Kuriga schoolchildren in Kaduna State.
He also welcomed the release of pupils of a Tsangaya school in Sokoto State and praised everyone involved in the successful effort.
Tinubu’s statement, titled ‘President Tinubu welcomes release of Kuriga school children, said schools must be safe and secure for learning,’ was conveyed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.
The Nigerian military reported on Sunday that they rescued students of LEA Primary School and Government Secondary School Kuriga in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
On March 6, around 287 pupils were abducted when armed individuals on motorcycles raided their school and took them away, causing condemnation and outrage from the Presidency and the global community, including UNICEF.
But, a statement released on Sunday by Major General Edward Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operations, contradicted the previous reports and stated that 137 pupils were rescued.
Buba disclosed that the pupils were rescued through a joint effort of the military and local authorities in Zamfara State early on Sunday.
The rescued pupils consisted of 76 females and 61 males, aged between eight and 15.
The military announced that the pupils will be handed over to the Kaduna State Government.
In response to the development, Tinubu highlighted the importance of cooperation between the Federal Government and states for desired outcomes, especially regarding security matters.
The statement read, “The President commends the National Security Adviser, the security agencies, and the Kaduna State Government for their quick and diligent response to this situation, emphasizing that prompt action, careful attention, and unwavering dedication are crucial for successful outcomes in cases of mass abductions.”
The President assured Nigerians that his administration is implementing comprehensive strategies to ensure that “our schools remain safe places for learning, not places for rampant abductions.”
Despite the planned start of the Federal Government’s Safe Schools Initiative in August 2023, armed individuals have continued to terrorize schools in the northern part of Nigeria.
During that time, the National Coordinator of the Safe Schools Initiative under the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Halima Iliya, stated that the N144.8bn program is expected to begin in 18 states, covering at least 48 schools in each state.
Iliya mentioned that states would allocate funds for the Safe Schools Initiative from 2024 to support the Federal Government, which has earmarked N15bn to finance the Initiative in 2023.
