Governor Matawalle says no ransom fee was paid for the release of the Jangebe school girls

GOVERNOR Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has received the 279 pupils from Government Girls’ Secondary School (GGSS) Jangebe at the Government House in Gusau this morning after they were released by their captives who kidnapped them last week.

In what is now becoming a growing trend across Nigeria, armed criminal gangs now kidnap pupils from boarding schools and hold on to them for huge ransom fees. Over the last month, there have been similar abductions in Niger, Katsina and Zamfara states, with bandits carrying out daring raids right under the noses of the security services.

After intense negotiations, the bandits finally released the GSS Jangebe girls early this morning and they arrived at Government House at about 4am. They had been abducted from their school in Talata Mafara Local Government Area on Friday by bandits who stormed Jangebe on motorcycles and Hilux vehicles.

Governor Matawalle said: “It gladdens my heart to announce the release of the abducted students of GGSS Jangebe from captivity. This follows the scaling of several hurdles laid against our efforts.

“I enjoin all well-meaning Nigerians to rejoice with us as our daughters are now safe. This is the result of our peace effort and putting to shame all those saying there is no security in this country."

He added that the girls at were returned safely without paying any ransom fee being paid. According to the governor, his government has been in discussion with the abductors since Friday and reached agreement with them yesterday afternoon around by 4pm that the girls were to be released.

Governor Matawalle added: “We are happy that all 279 have safely returned. They will now undergo medical checks and be given balanced diets to recuperate by the state government before they are handed back to their respective families.

“I want to appeal to parents not to remove their children from school as a result of this, we will ensure additional security in all the schools. We thank all media outlets for their support throughout these trying times.”