Gunmen kill one, kidnap 200 pupils of Niger Islamic school

Gunmen on Sunday attacked an Islamic school, Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School located at Tegina in Niger State and kidnapped about 200 pupils.

One of two people reportedly shot during the attack has been confirmed dead and the other critically injured.

Although the Niger State Government and the state police command confirmed the incident, they did not specify the number of the pupils kidnapped.

But residents put the number at over 200.

The Islamic school, located near the Tegina Police Station in Rafi Local Government Area, was said to have been established by a retired immigration officer.

The kidnapping is coming less than four months after bandits abducted 42 people including 27 students of Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State. They were released after spending about 10 days in their captivity.

Only on Saturday, 15 Greenfield university students and three members of staff were released in Kaduna by their abductors after collecting N180 million and eight motorcycles.

The Greenfield varsity students were released after spending 40 days in the custody of bandits.

A statement by the Niger State Government said 11 children were released by their abductors because they were “minors”.

The statement, signed by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mary Noel Berje, said, “Eleven children who were too small and couldn’t walk, among the kidnapped Islamiyya students, were released by the gunmen.”

She quoted the governor as describing the serial attacks as unfortunate and unbecoming. He assured the people that the Joint Military Taskforce have been mobilised and  on the trail of the gunmen for possible isolation and ambush.

Bello appealed for calm and reitrated the strong resolve of the state government to  protect the lives and property of the citizens as a matter of utmost importance and priority.

The statement added, “A number of Islamiyya students of Salihu Tanko Islamic School, Tegina in the Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State have been abducted. The number of abducted students of the Islamiyya is yet to be confirmed as the very little ones that cannot go through the bush path are released.

“However, two people were shot in the cause of the attack, with one person confirmed dead while the other person is critically injured.

“The state government is still gathering security reports on the attack to take necessary measures to secure the release of those kidnapped.”