Kuriga abduction: Gumi not involved in rescue of 137 kidnapped school children — Gov Sani

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State said Kaduna-based Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, was not involved in the rescue of the 137 abducted Kuriga pupils.

Sani stated this in an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.

The governor said all the 137 schoolchildren abducted on March 7, 2024 from the Chikun Local Government Area of the state by marauding bandits have been rescued by the military in collaboration with local authorities from neighbouring Zamfara State, where the hostages were moved by their kidnappers.

The governor dismissed speculations in some quarters that ransom was paid.

Sani said, “All those speculations you are hearing today are figments of some people’s imagination. I can tell you that without any fear of contradiction.

“There was nothing like Gumi in this operation. I can tell you. I won’t undermine the efforts of our Armed Forces.”

Meanwhile, the governor said contrary to reports, 137 schoolchildren, and not 287 schoolchildren, were abducted from the LEA Primary School and Government Secondary School, Kuriga, about four weeks ago.

Sani lamented that a teacher who was kidnapped alongside the pupils couldn’t make it out alive as he developed some complications while in captivity.

He commiserated with the family of the deceased teacher and consoled the families of the released schoolchildren.