Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Exactly 36 days after they were dragged off a school bus on the Akwando–Kachia Road, six schoolchildren, their driver and two other passengers returned to their families on Sunday, 31 May 2026, after trekking six hours through the bush to freedom. In a separate release the same week, 11 residents of Gadanaji community in the same local government area were freed after more than 50 days in captivity, bringing the total number of released victims in Kachia Local Government Area to 20. The quiet reunions, confirmed by community leaders and a former aide to the late Kaduna State governor, have brought a rare moment of relief to a region where rural communities have been repeatedly terrorised by armed gangs.
The six schoolchildren, their driver and two other passengers were abducted on 26 April 2026, when suspected bandits attacked a vehicle ferrying pupils from Akwando village to Kachia, the headquarters of Kachia Local Government Area. During the attack, a young girl was reportedly killed. Nine passengers were taken away. For 36 days, their fate remained unknown. Then, on Sunday morning, 31 May, the victims walked out of the bush. Manasseh Samuel, spokesman of the Kuturmi Unity Development Association (KUDA), confirmed that the group trekked for about six hours before reaching home. A former media aide to the late Kaduna State governor, Reuben Buhari, wrote on Facebook: “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. Special gratitude to everyone for their prayers and contributions in different ways that led to their freedom.” According to Buhari, the children were traumatised and lost almost an entire academic term, but their families and community leaders expressed profound gratitude that they were alive.
In a separate but similarly harrowing case, 11 people, including women and children, were released after spending more than 50 days in captivity. They had been abducted from Gadanaji community, also in Kachia LGA, in the early hours of Thursday, 9 April 2026, when over 20 armed men stormed the settlement, shooting sporadically and throwing residents into panic. Eyewitness accounts at the time described how families scrambled to escape the violence as gunfire shattered the calm of the night. A member of the Gadanaji community, Freddo, confirmed their release in a Facebook post on Saturday, 30 May. Photographs that emerged shortly after showed the freed victims surrounded by family members, community leaders and well‑wishers, bringing relief to relatives who had anxiously awaited news of their return.
Reuben Buhari noted that the six schoolchildren, who were returning to school at the time of their abduction, have now missed almost an entire academic term. “These children are traumatised and missed almost a whole academic term, yet we are all grateful they are alive,” he said. He called for sustained prayers for other residents still being held by kidnappers, particularly those abducted from Awon and Ariko villages. “Let us continue to pray for those kidnapped from Awon village, who have spent 42 days, and from Ariko village, 57 days today. May June be the month of freedom for all remaining captives,” he prayed.
The abductions highlight the persistent threat of banditry in Kaduna State, where criminal gangs have increasingly targeted schoolchildren, commuters and entire communities for ransom. The Akwando‑Kachia Road, a rural artery connecting farming settlements to the LGA headquarters, has become a known danger zone. In recent months, bandits have also attacked churches, kidnapped worshippers and laid siege to villages in Kachia and neighbouring LGAs, forcing many farmers to abandon their fields.
Community leaders have welcomed the releases while urging security agencies to intensify efforts to prevent future kidnappings. Manasseh Samuel expressed appreciation to groups and individuals who offered prayers and support towards securing the victims’ release. The photographs of the freed victims, widely circulated on social media, have been met with an outpouring of relief, but also with renewed calls for stronger security measures around schools and rural communities. For the families who have waited weeks and months for news, the reunions mark the end of a nightmare. For the many others still waiting, the fight for freedom continues.
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