Abducted Tegina school pupils regain freedom three months after

Abducted pupils of Tegina Islamiyyah school in Niger State have finally been released by their bandit captors, about three months after they were taken away from their school.

The news of their release Thursday night was confirmed by two parents to Reuters.

Around 136 school children were taken from the school in Tegina town on May 30, six of who were said to have died of illness. The report of their death came from the owner of the school on Monday.

The release of the remaining abducted pupils was also confirmed by a Niger State Government’s official who asked not to be named because the government planned to issue a statement once they have the children.

A parent, Mallam Saidu Tegina, said the students had been released.

He however could not confirm how many students were released.

Armed groups carrying out kidnapping for ransom have been linked to a series of raids on schools in northern Nigeria in recent months, abducting more than 1,000 students since December.

Another parent, Abubakar Garba Alhasan, whose seven children were held by the gang, said the students were on their way to the capital city in Minna. “They are released now,” he said.