Governor Bello

53 abducted passengers of Niger State Transport Authority bus have been released.

The Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, Sunday night, received them at the Government House, Minna, two weeks after they were abducted by armed men at Kundu village along Zungeru Road in the state.

The governor hinted that their release followed series of dialogues, consultations, and hard work of relevant security agencies and stakeholders.

The governor, in a tweet late Sunday, said ”I was delighted to receive the 53 bus passengers who were abducted by armed bandits a week ago.”

It is unknown if a ransom was paid but state representatives have previously said they would not pay any

“We went through one week of dialogue, consultations, hard work, and sleepless nights because we had to secure their release within the shortest possible time,” the governor’s spokeswoman, Mary Noel-Berje, said in a statement, adding that everything is being done to ensure the release of the students of the Government Science College Kagara, who are still in the hands of their captives.

The governor stressed that all necessary arrangements have been made to ensure they go through medical check-up and evaluations before they will be reunited with their family members.

A plane that was scheduled to take part in a surveillance mission in connection with a possible rescue operation crashed on Sunday near Abuja, killing the seven officers on board.