Nigeria’s president announced on Tuesday that all 24 schoolgirls, who were kidnapped by armed assailants from a school last week, have been successfully rescued.
Police had previously stated that gunmen, described as having “sophisticated weapons,” abducted the girls around 4 a.m. on November 17. A statement issued Tuesday cited President Bola Tinubu confirming the rescue of all 24 students.
Tinubu was quoted in the statement expressing his relief, saying, “I am relieved that all the 24 girls have been accounted for.” He added, “Now, we must put as a matter of urgency more boots on the ground in the vulnerable areas to avert further incidents of kidnapping.”
Details concerning the rescue operation or the condition of the girls were not disclosed.
This incident is part of a series of recent mass abductions occurring across Nigeria.
In a separate incident, attackers stormed a school in north-central Niger state on Friday, kidnapping over 300 students and staff.
School officials reported on Sunday that 50 students, aged between 10 and 18, had individually escaped between Friday and Saturday. They indicated that 253 students and 12 teachers remained captive.
Nigeria has experienced numerous attacks targeting Christians and their institutions, leading to a declaration of the West African nation as a “country of particular concern.” The Nigerian government, however, has disputed these U.S. claims.