Etim Effiong
Students of the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, who were abducted last Friday have been freed, Special Adviser to the Katsina State governor, Ibrahim Kastina has said.
Earlier on Thursday, the students were in the bush in a video released by the Boko Haram faction loyal to Abubakar Shekau, which claimed responsibility for the abduction.
Sources in Katsina and Abuja said the schoolboys were released today after “rigorous” negotiation between governments at the national and state levels on one hand and the abductors on the other side.
A source stated: “The boys, in company of security operatives, negotiators and other stakeholders, are on their way to Katsina from the point of exchange.”
Another source close to the Villa also noted that they heard of the boys’ release and were awaiting formal confirmation.
It is not clear if ransom was paid to secure the release of the boys.
There were conflicting figures in respect of the actual number of students taken away.
Governor Masari had put the number at 333 while the school register showed over 500 were missing.
The students were taken away from their hostels on Friday, December 11.
Few of them were said to have escaped.