The kidnapped schoolgirls of Government Secondary School in Jangebe, Zamfara State, who were kidnapped by bandits, have been released and are currently in the palace of the Emir of Anka waiting for transportation to Gusau, the state capital, according to reports.
Channels Television reported on Sunday that the students have regained their freedom but that the state government and other officials are, however, yet to confirm this or provide any details.
As of Friday evening, seven out of the 317 abducted female students were said to have escaped.
A source who spoke with Channels Television from Jangebe town via a phone call confirmed that the seven girls returned home on their own as they claimed they manoeuvred their way back from the bandits while trekking along the forest.
The girls were abducted from their boarding school in the early hours of Friday.
The television medium reported that in reaction to the development, the Zamfara Police Commissioner, CP Abutu Yar, had said a joint search and rescue operation was already underway with a view to rescuing all 317 students.
According to the report, CP Yaro said the Force Commander Operations Hadarin Daji, Major General Aminu Bande, Brigade Commander 1 Brigade, Nigeria Army Gusau, and other state government officials led a heavily armed re-enforcement team to Jangebe to complement the rescue operation in the locations where the students were believed to have been whisked to.
Following the growing spate of kidnapping in Zamfara, the state Governor, Bello Matawalle, has ordered the immediate closure of all boarding schools in the state.
“As we are making efforts to strengthen security around our schools, I have directed the immediate closure of all boarding secondary schools across the State,” Matawalle said in a broadcast, Friday evening.”
