As the Nigerian government is battling to secure the release of 27, students, 3 teachers and 12 members of their families kidnapped last week in the Government Science College in Kagara, Niger state another set of 317 female students were in the early hours of Friday abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Talata local government area of Zamfara state.
Zamfara State Police Commissioner, Abutu Yaro who confirmed the development said armed men had invaded the school in the wee hours of the day, abducting the students.
In December, more than 300 boys were kidnapped from a school in Kankara, in Katsina, but were later released by their abductors.
In Nigeria, abduction of schools students started in 2014 when Boko Haram insurgents abudcted over 300 students at Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) on Friday said it was “angered and saddened” by the kidnap of nearly 300 schoolgirls from a school in Zamfara.
UNICEF Nigeria representative Peter Hawkins called the kidnap a brutal attack.
“This is a gross violation of children’s rights and a horrific experience for children to go through one which could have long-lasting effects on their mental health and well-being,” he said in a statement.
Hawkins said the organization had condemn the attack and call on those responsible to release the girls immediately and for the government to take steps to ensure their safe release and the safety of all other school children in Nigeria.
“Children should feel safe at home and at school at all times and parents should not need to worry for the safety of their children when they send them off to school in the morning,” said Hawkins.
In the meantime, some Journalists narrowly escaped being lynched at Jangebe, a Zamfara community where schoolgirls were kidnapped on Friday.
The journalists were attacked on arrival in the community to get first-hand information on the abduction.
The angry mob attacked two vehicles conveying journalists from Daily Trust, NAN, AIT, TVC, Channels and an online media Thunder Blowers whose cameraman was seriously wounded on his forehead and was rushed to Gusau, the state capital for treatment.
The residents, mostly youths, were seen carrying catapults, sticks, machetes’ and other dangerous weapons, throw stones and other dangerous objects at the vehicles which some youth said should be set ablaze.
The drivers of the vehicles conveying the journalists had to quickly zoom off with some of their windscreens smashed.
Reacting to the development, the state commissioner of police Mr Abutu Yaro, appealed for calm, saying expression of anger is unhelpful.
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