TheCable

The police command in Zamfara says 317 students were abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Talata-Mafara local government area of the state.

Gunmen had on Friday invaded the secondary school, abducting the schoolgirls.

Abutu Yaro, Zamfara police commissioner, confirmed the number of missing students. He said a joint search and rescue operation is already underway with a view to bringing back the girls.

“317 students were abducted as presented to me by the principal,” the commissioner said.

“It’s an established fact that students were kidnapped. As part of our locational efforts, that’s why you find us in the fringes of the forest here.

“It’s part of our cordoning effort in order to trace the kidnappers and reclaimed the student.

“Youths have to be calm and allow the security forces to do the needful. Unnecessary anger is unhelpful at the stage we are. All of us are angry, all of us are sad, but we have to have a coordinated response in order to save the lives and bring the children back.”

The police chief added that they have information that the girls were moved to a neighbouring forest, and they are being cautious in their tracing.

Residents who spoke with TheCable said gunmen invaded the community in the wee hours of Friday, went into the school, and took some of the girls away.

“They attacked some houses along their way, and headed straight to the school,” Abubakar Jangebe, a resident said.

“They took some of the girls and went into the bush. We don’t know what is happening right now.”

The abduction of the schoolgirls comes a week after 27 schoolchildren from Government Science College, Kagara in Niger state, were abducted by bandits.

The abduction in Zamfara has triggered outrage on social media platforms, especially on Twitter.