Approximately 136 students in an Islamic school were seized by gunmen in May for ransom. A small number of students had escaped in June and there are unconfirmed reports that six children died in captivity. None of the pupils are remaining in captivity, according to the head teacher. The freed school children are being treated in a hospital in the state capital and were seen looking unhealthy, frail and exhausted.
The parents and school had attempted to raise funds to free the pupils last month, but the kidnappers said it was not enough. They had sold possessions and part of the school’s land to pay the ransom, when it was not enough they added more money and motorcycles for the gunmen. More than 1,000 children have been abducted from schools across northern Nigeria since December, however, most have since been freed.
Read more: Nigeria: Gunmen free kidnapped schoolchildren
