Niger Governor Denies Claims About Kagara Students Release
Niger State Governor, Abubakar Bello, Friday morning said the Kagara students and teachers have not been released.
Bello is reacting to several media reports claiming that the abducted persons have been released.
He said he is “not considering resigning” over the kidnapping, adding that “this is the first time students are being kidnapped in this state”.
At least 27 students of Government Science College (GSC) Kagara and 14 others including teachers were abducted when armed bandits attacked their school on Wednesday morning.
The gunmen dressed in military uniforms stormed the school hauling students into a nearby forest, a government official and a security source told AFP.
“Bandits went into GSC Kagara last night and kidnapped hundreds of students and their teachers,” said the official, who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.
“One of the kidnapped staff and some students managed to escape. The staff confirmed a student was shot dead during the kidnap operation,” the official said.
Only two months ago, more than 300 students were kidnapped in Kankara, in nearby Katsina state.
On Tuesday, Niger state authorities said bandits also killed 10 people and kidnapped at least 23 others in attacks on two remote villages.
The continuous insecurity in the country has continued to spark outrage and criticism against President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Senators Mohammed Enagi (APC-Niger South), Sani Musa (APC-Niger East), and Aliu Sabi Aliu (APC-Niger North) on Wednesday described as unacceptable, the worsening state of insecurity in Niger State and Nigeria in general.
Senator Enagi during the plenary said the Federal Government under the leadership of Buhari is grossly incompetent.
The visibly angry lawmaker further noted that the government had been evasive on issues that ought to be given attention.
Enagi observed that it was unfortunate that the Federal Government was too incompetent to handle in such a way as to guarantee full employment for the nation’s teeming youths.
Enagi suggested the amendment of laws that would allow governors who are chief security officers of their respective states to take charge, insisting that the government at the centre has failed woefully.
He added that citizens might need to be allowed to bear arms through the amendment of laws if the situation persists.
