We Are Deploying Resources To Rescue 15 Abducted Schoolgirls – Niger Govt

The Niger State Government has said it is deploying resources to rescue the 15 Islamiya pupils abducted by bandits at the weekend, even as the proprietor of the school insists that no concrete steps have been taken on the ground.

The proprietor, Malam Aminu Abubakar Bako, told LEADERSHIP that since the abduction, no government official had visited the community, while security personnel were yet to be seen.

He said the community had relied solely on local vigilantes for assistance, adding that the bandits had contacted them and demanded a ransom of N100 million.

Parents of the abducted pupils and some residents also expressed disappointment over what they described as the government’s slow response to efforts to secure the children’s release.

Bako told LEADERSHIP that the bandits called on Monday, assuring them that the pupils were still safe but warning that their safety could not be guaranteed if payment of the ransom was delayed.

Reacting to the incident, the Niger State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Obed Nuhu Nana, said the state government was deploying resources and working with security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to address the situation.

“The Bago administration is deploying every available resource and working closely with security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to tackle insecurity, rescue abducted persons and prevent further attacks,” he said.

Nana reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ending all forms of insecurity in the state and restoring lasting peace and safety to affected communities.

The Commissioner for Homeland Security, Barrister Maurice Justin Magaji, also told LEADERSHIP that he had been away on official assignments and would provide details of the government’s efforts so far later.