Jangebe schoolgirls freed by abductors

Jangebe schoolgirls

Jangebe schoolgirls

The Jangebe Schoolgirls arriving Government House Gusau on Tuesday

By Abankula

The Jangebe schoolgirls abducted by terrorists last Friday have now been released. Governor Bello Matawalle announced their release on Tuesday in a tweet.

“Alhamdulillah! It gladdens my heart to announce the release of the abducted students of GGSS Jangebe from captivity.

“This follows the scaling of several hurdles laid against our efforts. I enjoin all well-meaning Nigerians to rejoice with us as our daughters are now safe.

The 279 students arrived in buses Government House, Gusau, at about 4a.m. on Tuesday, NAN reported.

On Sunday, there were reports about the release of the girls, initially reported to be 317.

Governor Matawalle debunked the report, but promised the girls would soon be released.

The girls were abducted early on Friday from Government Girls School in Jangebe, in Talata Marafa LGA of Zamfara state.

It was the fourth mass abduction by terrorists in the North west, since December 2020.

Matawalle said repentant bandits in the state assisted security agencies in the operation that led to the rescue of the Jangebe schoolgirls.

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The governor, who received the girls at about 5a.m on Tuesday in Gusau, said the 279 girls were returned safely without paying any ransom.

“This is the result of our peace effort and putting to shame all those saying there is no security in this country.

“We have been in discussion since Friday with the abductors and reached agreement on Monday by 4pm that the girls were released.

“We are happy that all 279 have safely returned, they will undergo medical checks and given balanced diets to recuperate by the state government before they are handed back to their respective families.

“I want to appeal to parents not to remove their children from school as a result of this, we will ensure additional security in all the schools.

“We thank all media outlets for their support throughout these trying times,” the governor said.

Matawalle congratulated parents of the victims and Nigerians for the safe return of the girls.

One of the victims, Hafsatu Anka, an SS II student who spoke in tears, said they were kept in trenches littered with human faeces.

“We saw other people including women and children and father of one of our school mates who had been in the den for three months.

“They would pray as Muslims but never allowed us to pray and they fed us with rice in which they put sand after cooking,” Hafsat said.

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