Nigerian President Deploys Security Forces To Rescue Abducted Students

Nigerian President Deploys Security Forces to Rescue Abducted Students

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the national army and security agencies to rescue the students and school staff, kidnapped by bandits from a school in the central Niger State, presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said on Wednesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th February, 2021) Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the national army and security agencies to rescue the students and school staff, kidnapped by bandits from a school in the central Niger State, presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, a group of armed men wearing military uniforms attacked a college in the town of Kagara and took students and school staff to an unknown destination. According to the Nation newspaper, at least 42 people were kidnapped by the bandits, including 27 students, 12 members of a family and three from school staff. Besides, at least one of the students is feared to have died during the shooting at the school, and many others were wounded by gunshots, media reported.

"Following these reports, the President has directed the Armed Forces and Police, to ensure the immediate and safe return of all the captives," Shehu tweeted, adding that Buhari condemned the attack.

The school premises reportedly had some 650 students inside at the moment of the assault, the Nation newspaper reported.

Assaults of similar nature are common for Nigeria, where groups of bandits regularly kidnap or kill civilians for ransom and other forms of enrichment. Additionally, the kidnappings in the country come as part of jihadist activities, as the Western African nation is exposed to the terrorist threat.

The latest major attack occurred in December 2020, when the Boko Haram terrorist group, particularly active in Nigeria, have kidnapped over 300 schoolboys in the north of the country. The security agents manage to free students and bring them home.