Tinubu orders security agencies to rescue remaining 115 students abducted in Niger
President Bola Tinubu has directed security agencies to secure the release of the 115 students still held captive from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara LGA, Niger State.
A statement issued on Monday by Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, noted that Tinubu commended security operatives for “tireless efforts in securing the freedom” of 100 students and all 12 teachers out of the 265 initially abducted.
The president emphasised that the federal government is committed to collaborating with state governments to ensure schools provide a safe and conducive learning environment.
“I have been briefed on the safe return of 100 students from the Catholic School in Niger State,” Tinubu said, according to the statement.
“I rejoice with Governor Umar Bago and commend our security agencies for their steadfast work in ensuring the safe return of the students to their families since the unfortunate incident on November 21. My directive to our security forces remains that all the students and other abducted Nigerians across the country must be rescued and brought back home safely. We must account for all the victims.”
He added: “The federal government will continue to work with Niger State and other states to secure our schools and make the learning environment safer and more conducive for our young ones. From now on, our security agencies, working with the governors, must prevent future kidnappings. Our children should no longer be sitting ducks for heartless terrorists’ intent on disrupting their education and subjecting them and their parents to unspeakable trauma.”
On Sunday, the federal government facilitated the release of 100 schoolchildren — two weeks after their abduction. The attackers, who stormed the school on November 21 at about 2 a.m. on motorbikes, initially abducted 315 individuals, including 303 students and 12 teachers, in an operation that lasted three hours.
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