Nigerian army frees seven children kidnapped from an orphanage

The Nigerian army said on Thursday that its troops had freed seven children and two adults who had remained in captivity following a kidnapping from an orphanage last month.

Mass kidnappings have become a common way for gangs and armed groups to make quick money in Africa's most populous country, especially in rural areas with little government presence.

In late April, gunmen raided an unregistered orphanage in central Kogi state, seizing 23 children and several adults.

Most of the children were freed shortly after, but seven remained missing.

Nigerian army troops "successfully rescued the remaining kidnapped victims" after "sustained search and rescue efforts," the army said in a statement.

"The rescued victims comprised five boys, two girls and two adult females, believed to be the wives of the proprietor of the orphanage," it said.

Kogi's information commissioner Kingsley Fanwo had previously said that the orphanage "was operating illegally in a remote, bushy environment without registration with the state government and without the knowledge of relevant authorities and security agencies."

Nigeria faces multiple conflicts, from a long-running jihadist insurgency to "bandit" gangs, farmer-herder violence and southeastern separatists.

North-central Nigeria, where Kogi is located, has seen violent attacks including raids on schools in recent months, with some blamed on jihadist groups.

Hundreds of children were taken by gunmen from their school in neighbouring Niger state in November, in an attack security sources blamed on Boko Haram jihadists.