The eight students sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, who were kidnapped alongside 11 others, earlier this month by suspected pirates, have been rescued.
Recall that the victims were kidnapped on May 6, when pirates attacked two boats heading to Bille. The kidnappers later contacted families and demanded N100 million in ransom.
They were reportedly freed on Monday evening by a local security group known as the Royal Fouchee Security Services, also called the Amama Soldiers, led by Asari-Dokubo, a former militant leader and now the traditional ruler of the Torusaramapiri community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Asari-Dokubo said he and his team began the operation on Sunday after being asked to help by the Department of State Services, DSS.
The spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the rescue saying it was through a joint effort by the police and the local security group.