The kidnapped staff and students of Government Science College Kagara have finally regained freedom from the armed bandits in Niger State.
A top police officer who was involved in the counter-kidnapping operation in the state, disclosed this earlier today.
TheFact Nigeria gathered that a total of 38 persons regained freedom from the captivity. They include 24 students, three academic staff, one non-academic staff and 10 family members of staff of the college. None of them died during captivity.
The abduction of the boarding students by the bandits who were dressed in military uniforms took place and was reported, on February 17, 2021. A total of 27 students, three staff members and 12 members of their family were abducted after the attack on the Kagara school in the early hours of Wednesday.
In an updated development, the abductees have arrived in Minna, the state capital, where a government official says they are expected to be briefed by the State Governor Abubakar Bello.
It is not certain whether a ransom was paid to secure the release of the students, considering that Governor Bello had repeatedly said his administration would not pay money to the bandits.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has said he is happy to know that the abducted students have been released.
The President, in a statement issued today by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, welcome the students’ release, commending the nation’s security and intelligence agencies and the government of Niger State for their responses in securing the release.
He, however, warned that the country will not continue to suffer these attacks that threaten the growth of education, the security and life of the future leaders and at the same time putting the nation in a negative light.
Buhari also reiterated his earlier advice to school owners, particularly the state and local governments, as well as religious organizations to scale up security around their schools in line with the standards laid down by the UN-backed Safe School Programme of the administration.
President Buhari once again condemned the school abductions, with latest one at the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Zamfara State, and directed all security and intelligence agencies in the country to hunt down the culprits and bring them to justice.
