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In fresh attack, bandits abduct over 300 girls in Zamfara school
BY NICHOLAS ABE
No fewer than 300 schoolgirls at Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Talata-Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, have been reportedly abducted from their hostels, in what has become a ubiquitous exercise.
There have been series of school children abductions by terrorists and bandits across northern Nigeria, dating back to 2014 with the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping of over 200 students which attracted global outrage.
In 2018, 110 schoolgirls were abducted in daylight in Dapchi, Yobe State. Shortly after, all the girls were released except one of them, Leah Sharibu, who remains in captivity to date. Leah is said to have refused to convert to Islam and therefore being persecuted on account of her faith, Christianity.
Within the last three months, series of abductions have taken place in similar fashion as the Chibok and Dapchi. Over 300 schoolboys were abducted in President Muhammadu Buhari’s homestate, Katsina, in December 2020. Ironically, the embarrassing incident happened while the President was holidaying in Katsina.
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Just 10 days ago, another set of students and their teachers, 42 in all, were abducted in Kagara, Niger State. Negotiations are ongoing for their release.
While the Kagara abduction is yet to abate, bandits stormed the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe and abducted over 300 girls.
A staff of the school, who begged for anonymity, said the bandits arrived in the school around 1am on Friday with Hilux vehicles and motorcycles and forcefully evacuated the students.
He narrated that some of the bandits were in uniforms and pretended to be security personnel, then later broke into the students hostels and abducted the students.
“When they came into the school, we thought they were security personnel but to our utmost fear and dismay, they started putting the girls into Hilux vehicles and motorcycles then drove out of the school,” the source said, adding that the bandits were in the school for several hours without any challenge due to absence of the security agents.
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A parent of one of the girls, who gave his name as Malam Lawal Jangebe, said, “I nearly fainted when I heard about the abduction of the students including my daughter.”
The Punch reports that the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Shehu, confirmed the incident. “We are right now on our way going to the school where the incident happened,” Shehu responded to a query.
Shehu said that, the police would brief the press when they returned from Jangebe town where the students were abducted.