School Kidnapped: Minister appeals to security agencies to ensure safe return of victims

Following Thursday Kaduna schools Kidnapped, The Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman express shock and appealed to security agencies and Kaduna State Government to ensure the safe return of over 280 pupils and teachers of Government Secondary School and LEA primary school at Kuriga, Kaduna State abducted by bandits on Thursday.

The minister, who expressed sadness at what happened in Kaduna, begged the security agencies to do their best to rescue and bring the children and teachers back safely unharmed.

Mamman made the appeal at a press conference on Friday in Abuja.

The minister said that his prayers and thoughts are with the children and their parents since they are innocent.

He stated that the ministry would collaborate with security forces around the country to put an end to the kidnapping of children from schools.

Mamman stated the ministry was in contact with the government of Kaduna state and security agencies, and that it has provided the necessary information and help to ensure the children and teachers return home to their families.

The Minister, who described the incident as one kidnapping too many, said the ministry was working with the security agencies on how to bring to an end such heinous activities of bandits, especially under the Safe School project of the Federal Government.

He called on Nigerians to pray for the safe release of the innocent children and those of their teachers from captivity, noting that Christians should use the opportunity of Lent to put the victims in their prayers.

He said: “We are here to express our shock and disgust in respect of what happened in Kaduna yesterday where aprostimatly 300 students and teachers were kidnapped in both primary and secondary school in Kuriga.

“It’s a very sad day for the country. And we appeal to the security agencies to do everything possible including the government of Kaduna State to rescue and bring back these young ones and their teachers.

“We will be working with the security agencies to ensure that we bring to end this type of thing under the Safe School project of the Federal Government.

“We sincerely hope these young ones are brought back even before the Ramadan season starts. Our brothers and sisters are already observing the Lent. So we commit them to prayers to the Almighty to protect them and bring them back safely home.

“We are sadly concerned about this development, and we make appropriate appeal to those who responsibility is to bring back our children, to work as quickly as possible so that these children are returned back to their homes and back to school safely.”