Zamfara students who have been freed by their abductors have arrived at the State Government House in the capital city, Gusau, Zamfara State.

They arrived in the early hours of Tuesday, wearing face masks and light blue and brown chadors.

This is even as President Muhammadu Buhari has while celebrating the release of the abducted Zamfara Schoolgirls, called for greater vigilance by the people.

The Zamfara students were kidnapped from their boarding school in the northern Nigeria but were are seen on March 2, 2021 at the Government House in Gusau, Zamfara State upon their release.

All 279 girls kidnapped from their boarding school in northern Nigeria have been released and are on government premises.

Nigeria has been rocked by four mass abductions of students in less than three months, by criminal groups.

Gunmen from cattle rustling and kidnapping-for-ransom gangs on February 26, 2021 invaded the Government Girls Secondary School in remote Jangebe village, whisking the schoolgirls away from their hostel.

However, after a coordinated efforts amid fears of sabotage by the state government, the Zamfara schoolgirls were freed.

The state Governor, Bello Matawalle, who confirmed the news on Tuesday, said the girls were released with the help of repentant bandits without any ransom paid.

The Governor put the number of girls recovered at 279, although the police had earlier said 317 girls were kidnapped.

“I am very exhausted and very devastated,” Governor Matwalle told reporters on Tuesday, “but I thank God that with the prayers of Nigerians we are able to secure their release.”

317 of the girls were said to have been abducted last Friday from their boarding school, the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

President Buhari Expresses Joy Over Zamfara Students Release

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari expressed overwhelming joy over the release of the abducted Zamfara students.

According to a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Garba Shehu, on Tuesday the President said “I join the families and people of Zamfara State in welcoming and celebrating the release of these traumatized female students.”

He also said he was excited that their ordeal came to a happy end without any incident, adding that “being held in captivity is an agonizing experience not only for the victims but also their families and all of us.”

While celebrating the release of the students, the President called for greater vigilance by the people so that human intelligence could be collected early enough to nip the bandits’ plans in the bud.

He also warned that the time has come to reverse, completely, the grim and heartbreaking incidents of kidnapping.

“Ransom payments will continue to prosper kidnapping,” President Buhari said while urging the Police and the Military to go after the kidnappers and bring them to justice.