The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has opened up to the processes leading to the safe return of schoolchildren of Kuriga abducted earlier in the month.
In a statement made available to newsmen, DHQ said, the abducted Kuriga students were rescued through a coordinated rescue operation by the military in collaboration with local authorities and government agencies.
The primary and secondary school students, abducted on March 7, were rescued in the early hours of Sunday.
In a statement on Sunday, Edward Buba, director of defence media operations, said a total of 137 persons comprising 76 females and 61 males were rescued in Zamfara.
Buba said the rescued persons would be handed over to the Kaduna government for further action.
“Relatedly, it would be recalled that on March 21, troops equally rescued 16 pupils (Almajiris) with a woman taken hostage in Gada local government area of Sokoto state,” he said.
“These hostages were handed over to the Sokoto state government.
“These efforts demonstrate the armed forces resolve to finding other innocent hostages and track down the terrorists that perpetrated these crimes.
“These efforts would continue until other hostages are found and the terrorists arrested, tried, and brought to justice by Nigerian law.
“Troops are employing similar efforts to track down the culprits responsible for the killing of 18 soldiers in Okuama community in Delta state.
“Justice awaits the culprits, as they can not go unpunished.”