According to state police, students from a Niger school in Nigeria were indiscriminately gunned and kidnapped on Sunday by a team of "armed bandits," according to state police. At least one individual was confirmed killed in the most recent school kidnapping raids the country has witnessed this 2021.
According to Yaro Alhassan, the Salihu Tanko Islamic School's headmaster, the specific number of students kidnapped from the school is still unclear. However, he said that over 150 remain missing or unaccounted for.
No Ransom for Nigerian Children
Niger State Deputy Gov. Alh Ahmed Mohammed Ketso stated on Monday that efforts by security agencies to ensure the release of the children had been amplified. According to Ketso, "We don't pay ransom to abductors. We are trying to negotiate to see how we can bring them back safely," reported CNN.
Abubakar Tegina, the school owner, said he witnessed the siege and surmised an estimated 150 students had been kidnapped. "I personally saw between 20 and 25 motorcycles with heavily armed people. They entered the school and went away with about 150 or more of the students. We can't be exact because most of them have not reported to the school as at that time," reported The Guardian.
Reports indicated that an estimated 200 children were seized during the siege. However, an official number has yet to be provided. The gunmen reportedly attacked Tegina's town in the Rafi local government area of the state. They were riding on motorcycles while shooting indiscriminately. They then kidnapped the students from the Salihu Tanko Islamic school, reported Vatican News.
State police officials remarked that tactical teams were urgently mobilized as part of efforts to rescue the victims. The Command calls for calm as police officials and other security agencies will exert everything humanly possible to affirm that the children are rescued unharmed.
According to Ketso, the government has temporarily changed Tegina region schools to day schools in response to the incessant strikes. They made sure each primary and secondary school has a group that could respond immediately to security issues. Ketso added the government had contacted several parents of the identified kidnapped children to assure them of their safe return.
Tegina remarked an estimated 300 students attend the school. They are aged from 7 to 15 years old. He added that students live at home and merely attend classes at the site.
According to authorities, a second person was severely injured aside from the recorded fatality.
The Niger state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, expressed hatred at the "escalating level of banditry in the state." He called on the federal government for immediate intervention.
A spokesperson for Niger State Government, Mary Noel-Berje, spoke on Monday saying that at least 11 of the children kidnapped during the raid were later freed. They were released due to their "tenderness." Those are the very few who could not go through the bush path, the kidnappers' escape route.
