More than three weeks after a school robbery in northwestern Nigeria, five kidnapped students are released. The military had informed the government of the state of Kaduna that „five of the many kidnapped students“ were found yesterday by soldiers, said the internal security officer in Kaduna, Samuel Aruwan. He did not say how the students were found again.
Almost 40 students abducted from dormitories
In mid-March, armed attackers attacked the forestry college in Afaka, Kaduna state, and kidnapped 39 students from their dormitories. According to official information, 23 female and 16 male students have been missing since the attack.
For years, attacks by criminal gangs in the north and center of Nigeria have been increasing. The gangs, known as “bandits” in Nigeria, kidnap school children and students to extort ransom and are responsible for looting and cattle theft.
The gangs act primarily for financial reasons. However, there are growing concerns that they may cooperate with jihadists. They have been fighting for an Islamist state in northeastern Nigeria for years.
