The abducted students of Government Science Secondary School Kagara, in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State in northern Nigeria have been released by gunmen.
An official statement by the Niger State government, which confirmed the release of the 27 students and 14 other staffs of the school, including teachers on Saturday, said that they were received by the Governor of Niger State, Mr. Abubakar Bello.
It will be recalled gunmen had on February 17 stormed the school and whisked away 42 persons, including 27 students from the school.
Meanwhile, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has said he is happy to know that the abducted students of Government Science College in Kagara, Niger State have been released.
A statement issued on Saturday by presidential spokesman, Mr. Garba Shehu, said that the President Buhari welcomed the release of the students and commended the nation’s security and intelligence agencies and the government of Niger State for their responses in securing the release.
“We are happy they have been released,” Buhari said while sympathising with the staff and the students, their parents and friends on this ordeal.
He, however, warned that the country would not continue to suffer these attacks that threaten the growth of education, the security and life of the future leaders at the same time putting the nation in a negative light.
Buhari reiterated his earlier advice to school owners, particularly the state and local governments, as well as religious organizations to scale up security around their schools in line with the standards laid down by the UN-backed Safe School Programme of the administration.
The Nigerian leader, who once again condemned the school abductions, with the latest one at the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Zamfara State in northern Nigeria, directed all security and intelligence agencies in the country to hunt down the culprits and bring them to justice.
GIK/APA