DOZENS of schoolchildren held captive by gunmen for three months in northern Nigeria were freed today and taken to be reunited with their families.

Pupils as young as five arrived in Minna, the Niger state capital, on a white minibus and were greeted by state governor Abubakar Sani Bello before being served meals.

Authorities previously said that 136 children had been taken in the incident in May, along with several teachers. It was not immediately known how many students were released.