Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello has confirmed the abduction of 27 school students, three staff and 12 family members at the Government Science College Karaga of Rafi local government areas of the state.
According to the Governor, the gunmen stormed the school premises at about 2am, abducting the students as well as three members of staff and 12 members of family of the abducted staff.
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He confirmed this during a press conference shortly after an emergency meeting with heads of security agencies in Minna on Wednesday.
The Governor earlier declared that all boarding schools in Rafi, Mariga, Munya and Shiroro local government areas would be closed until further notice.
Governor Sani-Bello also confirmed the viral video of bandits celebrating abduction of passengers of the NSTA bus attacked on Sunday where they demanded N500 million ransom.
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Bello said the government will not pay ransom, stressing the bandits would use the money to buy sophisticated weapons and cause further harm.
He expressed;
It is not in our policy as a government to pay ransom to bandits because we have noticed that they use this sand money to buy arms and ammunition.
However,the government will be ready to support and assist repentant bandits.
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Bello said the government is concerned over the recent bandit attacks in the state, which he admitted have become more brazen and daring.
He asked for immediate intervention from the Federal Government to rescue the students and other abducted persons from the hands of the bandits.
Bello stated;
We are deeply concerned at this recent sad events and are asking the federal government to deploy every necessary resources while we will look at all options, both kinetic and non kinetic to ensure the safe return of the victims of both incidences. We will not rest or sleep until we bring them back to their families.
Bello assured of the safe return of the victims, saying the government will not sleep until they have got all the abducted persons back.
He noted;
Tension is high and the situation is very serious. We are saddened by all these development. We have been having attacks before and we have been working to settle it but in this past few days, the attacks have been so daring that it caught our attention. We pray that God will show us the way of getting them back safely.
Giving details about the abduction, secretary to the state government, Ahmed Matane during an interview on Arise TV, said;
The gunmen came camouflaging in school uniforms. That was how they got into the school. They started by attacking the staff quarters before they got to the dormitory where the students were. They were able to abduct three staff and twelve family members of the staff. After holding on to those staff and their families, they now moved into the dormitory were students were.
As at this morning, they had kidnapped 27 students. One student was unfortunately shot dead.
He dismissed reports of some of the abducted students escaping from their captors.
Sadly, the gunmen killed a student during the attack on the school. The student identified as Benjamin. S. Doma, was shot dead by the bandits while trying to escape.
Some of those who are still in captivity were identified as Lawal, Ali, Hannatu and her husband, Dodo, and Mohammed Abubakar(Akawu).
