The Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, CP Abutu Yaro, has confirmed that 317 Students abducted from the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, in Talata-Mafara Local Government Area of the state.
He said the bandits who stormed the school in the wee hours of Friday, had moved the victims to a bush and rescue efforts were ongoing.
The incident occurred barely two weeks after armed bandits invaded a Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State and abducted 42 students, teachers and some family members.
The Zamfara Government had earlier confirmed the abduction.
The Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Dauran confirmed the incident on Friday. “I can confirm to you now that we have sadly received the report on the abduction of the students of GGSS Jangebe and right now, I am on my way to the school.
“At this moment, l cannot say how many students were taken away by the gunmen until l get there, but we have already mobilized security men and members of the vigilantatè who are now in pursuit of the abductors”.
A witness said the gunmen invaded the community in droves at about 2.am on Friday and shot sporadically in the air to scare the residents before advancing to the school.
“After taking away most of the students, we rounded up those that escaped or hid from the bandits and conducted a census where we counted 54 students and we are still searching to see if we can get more,”.
Also, a resident who gave his name as Haliru Jangebe said, the local vigilantes had tried to repel the invaders but were overpowered.
“The bandits were too many and they all seemed to be carrying heavy arms as we heard gunshots from all parts of the town and when the shots stopped, we heard that the students had been taken away”.
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