…Kill one student, abduct others
By Ayo Fadimu and Laraba Raphael, Abuja
Gunmen disguised in school uniform on Wednesday attacked the Government Science College, Kagara in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State. The attack left at least one student dead, while 27 students, three staff and 12 family members of staff were abducted.
The attackers were said to have surrounded the school at around 2 am and began to attack the students’ hostels. They were said to have shot into the air sporadically, and marched the students out of their hostels, and kidnapped them.
They also attacked some teachers and their family members at their residential quarters on the school premises and abducted them also.
According to reports, the attackers were reportedly dressed in the school uniform, showing that the attack awould have been planned in advance.
Unconfirmed reports said the dead student, who was said to have been shot in the head, was identified as Benjamin Doma.
In the process, a student was killed while some others sustained gunshots. Some staff of the College and their families were also abducted from their homes during the attack.
Senator Shehu Sani, a former student of the school, confirmed the attack via a tweet.
“Early hours of this morning, Armed bandits stormed the Government Science College Kagara Niger State, my alma mata, and abducted some students and staff family members. I just spoke to the principal. This is the clip of one of my past visit to the School.”
The Government College attack came barely three days after gunmen also attacked a bus belong to the Niger State Transport Authority and abducted at least 18 passengers.
The passengers were travelling to Minna, the state capital from Kotangora when the incident happened. The incident took place at Yakila village in Rafi Local Government Area of the state.
A video clip has surfaced on social media showing the kidnappers traumatizing the victims. The video shows the gunmen, armed with various arms, including hand-held rocket launchers, surrounding the victims and shooting to scare them. As they shoot and make their incantations, the victims, who include women and children could be heard screaming, some wiping their tears with their clothes.
In the meantime, President Muhammadu Buhari has dispatched the military and police to Niger State for the rescue of the victims abducted at Government Science Secondary School, Kagara.
In a statement Malam Garba Shehu, to President Buhari demanded that the victims should be rescued immediately.
The security officials are to coordinate the rescue operation and meet with state officials, community leaders, as well as parents and staff of the College.
“Following these reports, the President has directed the Armed Forces and Police, to ensure immediate and safe return of all the captives.
“The President has also dispatched to Minna, Niger State a team of security chiefs to coordinate the rescue operation and meet with state officials, community leaders, as well as parents and staff of the College.
“President Buhari has given the assurance of the support of his administration to the Armed Forces in their brave struggle against terrorism and banditry and urged them to do all that can be done to bring an end to this saga, and avoid such cowardly attacks on schools in the future.
“Our prayers are with families of the victims of this attack,” said the President as he condemned as cowardly the attack on innocent school children.
A witness had narrated how the gunmen broke into the staff quarters of the school before raiding hostels.
Speaking with journalists, the witness said the gunmen gathered some staff and students at a place for hours before moving them out of the school premises.
Some students were said to have escaped while being led to an unknown destination.
It was learnt that security agencies are currently on the trail of the armed men.
An aircraft of the Nigerian Air Force has been hovering in the air to track the location of the students.
Also, the Nigerian Army has said its troops have been mobilised in pursuit of abductors of the kidnapped members of staff and students of the school.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yerima, announced this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
Yerima said that the Nigerian Army had renewed efforts to ensure swift response to the unfortunate incident.
“The Nigerian Army in line with its constitutional mandate wishes to reassure the public that troops in operational synergy with sister security agencies are in hot pursuit of the criminal elements to ensure safe return of the kidnapped victims.
“Furthermore, the Nigerian Army also urges the public to provide actionable information to security agencies that will lead to the arrest of these criminal elements,” he said.
In the meantime, Niger State governor, Abubakar Sani-Bello has visited the school. He was accompanied by his deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Ketso and members of the state executive council.
The governor who met with the school management and some security agents, assured them of government’s determination to rescue the victims and bring an end to the menace.
The Principal of the school, Mr Danasebe Ubaidu, while taking the governor round the school premises, said that 27 students, three staff and 12 family members of staff were abducted.
Ubaidu commended the efforts of the state and federal governments towards ensuring safe release of the victims.
In similar vein, the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), on Wednesday engaged in verbal war over the abuductees in Niger State.
While the PDP charged the Buhari-led administration to speak out on these reports and take immediate steps to settle their political mercenaries, return them to wherever they brought them from and bring an end to this gruesome attacks on Nigerians.
In a statement issued yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said, “The lethargic stance of the APC administration towards the fight against banditry further validates reports in the public space that the bandits are connected to the APC and enjoying cover under the ruling party.”
“The PDP describes as revealing that while the people of Niger state and Nigerians in other states were under attack by bandits, APC leaders, including those in Niger state, were busy pursuing their party’s phony membership re-registration exercise, instead of rallying security and rescue efforts for the people.”
According to Ologbondiyan, “Nigerians were jolted by the Tuesday’s coordinated bandit attacks, kidnapping and killings in several communities in Niger state.
“Bandits were reported to have on Tuesday, moved from village to village, supported by a helicopter, as they pillaged our compatriots, sacked major highways and held communities in Niger state hostage for several hours without any counter attack.”
But in a swift reaction, the ruling APC accused the leaders of the PDP of baseless narrative of what had happened during the abduction in Niger State.
The National Secretary, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), of APC, Senator John J. Akpan Udoedehe, in a statement yesterday quoted the statement earlier issued by the PDP he said
“‘Bandits moved from village to village, supported by a helicopter.’ This is part of the crass, wild and baseless official statement issued by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in response to the condemnable abductions of school children and other citizens in Niger State.
“If anyone is in doubt that the PDP shouldn’t be taken seriously on any issue in the country, here lies a stark reminder.
“To this end, we cannot join issues with the PDP but rather focus on ongoing efforts to ensure the quick and safe release of the abducted schoolchildren and other citizens. Coordinated by our service chiefs, President Muhammadu Buhari has already deployed to Niger State national security assets to achieve this.
“We urge parents, loved ones and other stakeholders not to be distracted by the PDP’s insensitive, horribly-timed and baseless conspiracies and lies as all hand are on deck to ensure the quick and safe release of the abductees.
“Government’s resolve and the capacity of our security services to end these cowardly attacks on soft targets, particularly schools is not in doubt. We urge the continued support all Nigerians to ensure this.”
The ruling Party urged Nigerians not to pay attention to the lies of the Opposition.
Meanwhile, the Northern Governors Forum (NGF) has condemned the abduction of the students by the gunmen.
The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Plateau, Simon Lalong in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Makut Macham on Wednesday in Jos, described the act as a heinous crime.
He said the incident was another calculated attempt to frustrate Niger and the northern region’s chances of overcoming illiteracy and poverty, which was endemic due to lack of education and other associated opportunities.
He said, “We totally condemn the abduction of the school children who did nothing wrong than go to school to seek education.
“This is a sad and reprehensible act that must not be tolerated whatever the motive of the criminals.
“It is an act that further compounds the efforts to enroll more children into schools particularly in the Northern region where illiteracy is very high and enrolment is gradually appreciating after sustained efforts by Government and development partners.”
He commended the quick response by security agencies in ensuring the safe return of the abductees, saying it was reassuring while urging parents and families of the victims to remain hopeful.