大象传媒

"Alhamdulillah! It gladdens my heart to announce the release of the abducted students of GGSS Jangebe from captivity. This follows the scaling of several hurdles laid against our efforts. I enjoin all well-meaning Nigerians to rejoice with us as our daughters are now safe."

With this tweet, the governor of the state of Zamfara, Bello Matawalle, announced that all the schoolchildren kidnapped from a boarding school in the town of Jangebe on Friday had been released. The girls had been taken by an armed gang from their dormitories in the middle of the night.

There have been a number of mass kidnappings from schools in recent months - many by criminal gangs - and President Muhammadu Buhari has urged state governments not to pay ransoms.

But Zamfara's governor, Dr Matawalle, says he achieved the release because of his long term approach of negotiating with groups involved in banditry.

Photo: The girls gathered at a state government building following their release. Credit: Reuters