Release of More Than 250 Students Kidnapped by Gunmen in Nigeria

More than 250 students who were kidnapped by gunmen in early March at a school in northwestern Nigeria have been released, announced Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani today, Sunday. The kidnapping, which took place in Kagara in Kaduna State on March 7, was one of the largest mass abductions in recent years and sparked a wave of national condemnation due to security lapses. Relatives of the kidnapped reported that the abductors demanded a large ransom for the release of the students, but President Tinubu confirmed that he had instructed security forces not to pay any ransom. Nigeria has been experiencing widespread kidnappings, and hostages are often released after negotiations with authorities, despite a law enacted in 2022 prohibiting the payment of ransoms to kidnappers.