Abducted Zamfara schoolgirls: IGP deploys helicopters as seven students escape

Police have intensified their search for over 300 schoolgirls kidnapped from a Zamfara school in the early hours of Friday with the deployment of two surveillance helicopters to the state by the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammad Adamu.

This came as seven out of the 317 schoolgirls abducted by bandits at Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe have reportedly escaped.

The police deployed two surveillance helicopters in an operation to rescue the schoolgirls.

The deployment of the helicopters, the police said, was in addition to the personnel of operation Puff Adder II earlier sent to the state.

“Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have commenced a coordinated search and rescue operation, involving the deployment of both ground and aerial assets, aimed at locating and rescuing the students of Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara state, abducted in the early hours of Friday, 25th February, 2021,” the statement said.

“To ensure the success of the ongoing operation, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni, has ordered the immediate deployment of two (2) operational surveillance helicopters to Zamfara State.

“This is in addition to the personnel of Operation Puff Adder II earlier deployed to the State to support efforts by the Command to combat banditry, kidnapping and other related crimes.

“The IGP, while condemning the barbaric and callous abduction of the innocent female students, has assured that the Police and other security forces will not relent until the abducted students are successfully rescued and reunited with their families.”

According to the police, the rescue operation is being carried out alongside the military and other members of the law enforcement community with the support of the state government and other stakeholders.

The IGP also called for calm and enjoined members of the public, particularly the people of Zamfara State, not to hesitate in availing the police with useful information that could assist in the rescue of the abducted schoolgirls.

Meanwhile, a source at Jangebe town confirmed that seven of the abducted schoolgirls on Friday evening that the girls had returned home from their captors.

They were said to have maneuvered their way back from the bandits while trekking along the forest.

The source said more of the girls had escaped and were being expected having run out of the grip of the bandits in the forests.