Hommam Al Nassim 
Nigerian forces have freed nearly 300 pupils and staff unscathed after kidnapping them from a school in the north of the country.
The governor’s office of Nigeria’s Kaduna state announced on Sunday that they had been freed in a forested area of neighbouring Zamfara state without any injuries.
The kidnapping took place in the town of Korega in northwestern Kaduna state on March 7, where an armed group abducted 287 schoolchildren and several staff.
After liberation, the authorities transferred the students to the Kaduna state capital for medical examinations and then returned them to their families.
Kidnappings in Nigeria, whether by militant groups or criminal gangs, have increased dramatically in recent years, posing a major challenge to the country’s security and stability.
Kaduna State Governor Oba Sani underlined the Nigerian forces’ efforts to free the students unharmed, praising their courage and determination to provide safety to affected communities.
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