Release Achieved for 100 Kidnapped Nigerian Students, but Many Continue to Be in Captivity
Officials in Nigeria have obtained the freedom of 100 abducted students seized by gunmen from a religious school in November, as stated by a source within the UN and regional news outlets on Sunday. Nevertheless, the whereabouts of a further one hundred and sixty-five hostages presumed to still be held captive remained unclear.
Background
Last month, three hundred and fifteen people were abducted from St Mary’s mixed boarding school in north-central Niger state, as the nation faced a series of mass abductions similar to the notorious 2014 jihadist group kidnapping of schoolgirls in a town in north-east Nigeria.
Around fifty got away soon after, resulting in 265 thought to be in captivity.
The Handover
The one hundred youngsters are set to be handed over to Niger state officials this Monday, according to the United Nations source.
“They are going to be released to state authorities tomorrow,” the source stated to a news agency.
Local media also reported that the liberation of the hostages had been secured, without offering details on whether it was the result of dialogue or military force, and no details on the situation of the still-missing students and staff.
The freeing of the students was confirmed to AFP by an official representative an official.
Statements
“We've been praying and waiting for their return, if this is confirmed then it is a cheering development,” said Daniel Atori, speaking for the local diocese of the religious authority which operates the institution.
“Yet, we are not officially aware and have not received proper notification by the federal government.”
Security Situation
Although hostage-taking for cash are prevalent in the nation as a means for criminals and armed groups to fund their activities, in a spate of large-scale kidnappings in November, hundreds were taken, placing an critical attention on the country's serious law and order crisis.
The country confronts a long-running Islamist militant uprising in the northeastern region, while armed bandit gangs perpetrate kidnappings and raid villages in the north-west, and conflicts between farmers and herders regarding dwindling farmland occur in the middle belt.
On a smaller scale, militant factions associated with secessionist agendas also are active in the nation's unsettled south-east.
The Chibok Shadow
One of the earliest large-scale abductions that attracted international attention was in 2014, when almost three hundred girls were taken from their boarding school in the north-eastern town of Chibok by insurgents.
A decade later, the country's hostage-taking problem has “become a structured, revenue-generating enterprise” that generated about $$1.66m (£1.24m) between last year, stated in a recent report by a Nigerian research firm.
