Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, on Friday night confirmed the rescue of some students and teachers kidnapped from Federal Government College, Birnin-Yauri, Kebbi.
Dozens of students from the school were kidnapped by bandits on Thursday and taken into the forest.
Channels TV had earlier in its 10pm news quoted the State Governor, Bagudu as saying that all the students and teachers had been rescued by security forces.
But only two teachers and five students as earlier reported by the army had been rescued while the rest were yet to be released.
The governor commended the security operatives for their swift response in the rescue of the students and teachers.
Earlier in the day, the army said they rescued two of the teachers and five students during gun-battle with the bandits.
Director, Army Public Relations Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, had in a statement on Friday said the Nigerian Army troops operating under the auspices of Operation Hadarin Daji who have been on a hot pursuit of kidnappers and bandits following an unfortunate abduction incident in Federal Government College, Birnin Yawuri had so far, rescued two teachers and five students after a fierce exchange of fire with the criminals.
He said the rescue followed an initial encounter with the abductors in the early hours of today 18 June 2021 after trailing the kidnappers from Yawuri through Riyao to Sombo community, where the kidnappers who had split into two groups fled, with one group conveying the abducted children , while the second group conveyed rustled cattle.
Nwachukwu stated that the land troops in conjunction with elements of the Nigerian Air Force, who provided close air support during the rescue mission intercepted the two groups at about 2.30 am and engaged them in a fire fight leading to the successful rescue of the teachers and students.
“The troops also recovered 800 cattle rustled by the bandits. The gallant troops are still on the heels of the kidnappers in order to rescue the remaining abductees still in captivity.
“Sadly, a casualty was recorded during the exchange. A female student was found to have given up the ghost as a result of exhaustion. The rescued teachers and students will be handed over to the Kebbi State Government,” he said.
According to him, the Nigerian Army appreciated the cooperation so far from good spirited citizens and wish to solicit for more.
