The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is to provide psychosocial support to the 21 rescued children in Katsina.

This is contained in a statement by the UNICEF spokesman Samuel Kalu on Tuesday.

Mr Kalu said the therapy would help the children handle the trauma and reintegrate into society.

The children, aged 16 and 21 years, were kidnapped on October 30 while harvesting crops at a farm in Mairuwa, Faskari local government area of Katsina.

The victims, comprised of 17 girls and four boys, were rescued from captivity after six days by the police in Katsina.

“UNICEF welcomes with relief news of the release of 21 children abducted at a farm in Faskari local government area of Katsina state, Northwest Nigeria,” the UN agency said. “We commend the authorities for the action taken to release the kidnapped children who were rescued last Saturday. The release of all the abducted 21 children is pleasant news to us all parents, caregivers, community leaders, and everyone.”

The statement added that “these children shouldn’t have been kidnapped in the first place because no one, especially children, should be a target for abduction or violence of any kind.”

UNICEF further disclosed that it would support the Katsina State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to provide psychosocial support to the rescued children “to help them recover from the trauma and reintegrate into society.”

(NAN)