No fewer than 42 people, including 27 students, were kidnapped when bandits attacked Government Science Secondary School, Kagara in Niger State.
The Niger Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Muhammad Idris, who made this known, also said the whereabouts of three teachers are unknown.
According to him, 12 family members of the teachers were also abducted during the attack.
Idris added that one student, whose identity is yet to be given, was killed.
“They kidnapped 42 people from the school. They took away 27 students, along with three teachers. They also kidnapped 12 family members of the teachers,” Idris told AFP by phone.
This is coming barely two months after over 300 students were kidnapped in nearby Katsina State.
The boys were later released but the incident sparked global outrage.
On his part, the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in a statement, condemned the abductions and ordered a rescue operation but did not confirm how many students were missing.
“The President has directed the Armed Forces and Police, to ensure immediate and safe return of all the captives,” presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said in a statement.
The president urged Nigeria’s security forces “to do all that can be done to bring an end to this saga, and avoid such cowardly attacks on schools in the future.”
How it happened – Source
According to a source within the area, the attack started from the staff quarters and ended in the students’ hostels.
The source told The PUNCH that the bandits attacked the school at 2 am.
The source said, “A staff by name Batagi, who was among those kidnapped, has escaped and is in the school now (as of the time of filing this report). Others are still with the bandits.”
Punch
