Nigerian village celebrates the return of kidnapped students

Nigerian students and staff who were kidnapped this month arrive after they were freed, in Kaduna, Nigeria March 28, 2024. REUTERS/Abdullahi Alhassan

KURIGA, Nigeria (Reuters) - The whole village of Kuriga ran towards the convoy of buses shouting "Our children are back!" and "Alhamdulillah," meaning "Thank you, God", to welcome home more than 100 students and staff who were abducted this month in Nigeria's northwest.

The army announced on Sunday it had rescued 137 hostages - 76 female and 61 male - in the neighbouring state of Zamfara, days before a deadline to pay a 1 billion naira ($767,000) ransom for their release.