Seven of the 317 female students abducted at the Jangebe Government Girls Secondary School in Zamfara State have escaped from their abductors.

According to Channels Television report, a source confirmed the girls returned home on their own as they claimed they manoeuvred their way back from the bandits while trekking along the forest.

The escaped students said more had also escaped and are expected back soon.

The girls were abducted from their boarding school in the early hours of Friday.

In reaction to the development, the Zamfara Police Commissioner, CP Abutu Yar, had earlier said a joint search and rescue operation was already underway with a view to rescuing all 317 students.