Six schoolchildren, their driver and two other victims abducted by suspected bandits along the Akwando-Kachia Road in Kaduna State have regained their freedom after spending 36 days in captivity.
The victims were kidnapped on April 26, 2026, when armed men attacked a vehicle transporting pupils from Akwando village to Kachia, the headquarters of Kachia Local Government Area. Nine passengers were taken away during the attack, while a young girl reportedly lost her life.
Confirming their release, spokesman of the Kuturmi Unity Development Association (KUDA), Mr. Manasseh Samuel, said the victims returned home on Sunday morning after trekking through the bush for about six hours.
He expressed appreciation to individuals and groups who offered prayers and support that contributed to the victims’ release.
A former media aide to late Kaduna State governor, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, Mr. Reuben Buhari, also confirmed the development in a Facebook post.
According to him, the victims regained their freedom on Sunday and made their way home the following morning.
“Thirty-six days after they were kidnapped while on their way to school in Kachia from Akwando village, six schoolchildren, the driver of the vehicle and two other adults regained their freedom yesterday and got home this morning after trekking for six hours in the bush,” he wrote.
He added: “Special gratitude to everyone for their prayers and contributions in different ways that led to their freedom.”
Buhari noted that the children endured a traumatic experience and missed nearly an entire academic term during their captivity but thanked God for preserving their lives.
He also appealed for continued prayers for other residents still being held by kidnappers, particularly victims from Awon and Ariko villages. According to him, those abducted from Awon village have spent 42 days in captivity, while those taken from Ariko village have been held for 57 days.
