Nigerian Student Freed After More Than 800 Days in Captivity in Kaduna

Treasure Ayuba, a pupil of Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna, has been released by his captors after 800 days in captivity.

Treasure was kidnapped on 5 July 2021 after terrorists, locally called bandits, attacked his school and kidnapped 121 pupils. The outlaws have been releasing the pupils in batches. Treasure is the last of the pupils to be released.

In a statement on Saturday, Mohammed Shehu, the spokesperson to the governor of the state, Uba Sani, said the governor was happy that the last of the abducted pupils had been released.

While expressing gratitude to those involved in facilitating the release of the pupil, Mr Sani said his government will continue to work towards improving security in the state. He said he will particularly make sure that places of learning are safe.

“The released pupil was among the 121 children who were kidnapped by bandits in July 2021 from their school premises in Maraban Damishi, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Treasure Ayuba has since been reunited with his loved ones.”

Similarly, the President of the Nigeria Baptist Convention, Israel Akanji, was thankful to God for the release of the pupil.

“Glory be to God! Glory be to God!! Glory be to God!!! Treasure Ayuba, the last boy who was still with the bandits who kidnapped the 121 students of Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna, on July 5, 2021, has just returned home today, November 2, 2023,” he said.

How the pupils were released.

Just over a month after the abduction, the outlaws released 100 of the 121 abductees after their parents reportedly paid an undisclosed ransom.

The rest of the pupils have been released in batches since then.

Arrest of bandits

On 23 September, the Nigerian Police in a statement said they had arrested three out of the 25 members of a gang that kidnapped the pupils.

The spokesperson of the police at the time, Frank Mba, said in a statement. He gave the suspects’ names as Ishaku Lawal, Muazu Abubakar and Adam Bello.

Kaduna as well as most of Nigeria’s North-west region is ravaged by a decade-old insecurity caused by terrorist gangs attacking rural villages, travellers and educational institutions.

Millions of people have either been killed, kidnapped or displaced as a result of the conflict. Chikun Local Government is one of the most terrorised parts of Kaduna State.