Governor Sani Gives Update on Rescued Kaduna Schoolchildren: “Gumi Not Involved”

• Mixed reactions have continued to trail the release of the schoolchildren abducted in the Kuriga area of the state
• Governor Uba Sani, in a recent interview, clarified the number of pupils kidnapped and released as well as Sheikh Ahmad Gumi's involvement
• The position of Governor Sani has generated reactions from concerned Nigerians on the X platform

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Kaduna state, Kaduna - Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state said that the Kaduna-based Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, was not involved in the safe return of the abducted Kuriga pupils.

Sani disclosed that though the cleric had offered to negotiate with bandits for the release of the pupils, all the 137 schoolchildren abducted on March 7, 2024, from the Chikun local government area of the state were rescued by the military.

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In an interview with Channels Television on Sunday, March 24, the governor described talks in some quarters that ransom was paid as speculations. Sani stressed further that Gumi was not involved in the rescue of the pupils.

He said:

“All those speculations you are hearing today are figment 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.”

This assertion by the governor did not go down well with some Nigerians on the X platform.

Nigerians react to Governor Sani's statement

Nigerians reacted differently to Governor Uba Sani's statement on X. Legit.ng captured some of their reactions below.

@Lafter_Clinic tweeted:

"Does it really matter? To me what matters is that they are safe and back to their family."

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@attamakuza tweeted:

"Gumi should be arrested not involved in the process for others."

@ChrisEjiofor7 tweeted:

"But the government paid for the ransom true or false."

@ayokay13 tweeted:

"The non-state actor that looks more powerful than the state."

@Emekaigwe96 tweeted:

"He's trying to protect him."

137 Kaduna schoolchildren were released, not 287

Meanwhile, Governor Uba Sani clarified that the number of schoolchildren abducted from Kuriga on March 7, 2024, was 137, not 287, as previously reported.

In an interview with Channels Television on Sunday, Sani clarified that despite initial reports of 287 children abducted, the actual number was 137 from both primary and secondary schools.

Previously, Sani Abdullahi, a teacher at Government Secondary School Kuriga, had reported that 287 students were unaccounted for following the attack. However, the governor clarified that the figure of 287 was provided by community members lacking official school records.

Source: Legit.ng