You are here: HomeNews2021 02 18Article 416527

General News of Thursday, 18 February 2021

Source: legit.ng

Kagara: Niger vigilantes join mission to rescue abducted schoolchildren

Following that abduction of some students of Government Science College, Kagara in Niger state, a local vigilante group has joined in efforts to rescue the children.

The Cable reports that more than 50 members of the local vigilante group at the Rafi local government area, where the school is located, were joining the rescue efforts.

Legit.ng gathered that while some of the vigilantes are volunteers, others were drafted in through the efforts of local governments in the state.

The online medium said that as of the evening of Thursday, February 18, they were moving into nearby forests where the children were reportedly taken to.

Some gunmen suspected to be bandits had attacked the school during an operation that lasted for about three hours on Wednesday, February 17.

According to the report, at least 41 people including 27 students and nine of their family members who are mostly children were taken hostage by the attackers, adding that the school was deserted when it was visited.

It added that there were, however, a few staff members and parents of the victims waiting in anticipation for the good news regarding the development.

The local vigilante group would join a team of security agencies that have been deployed to the state.

The minister of defence, Bashir Magashi, had promised that the government would secure a swift and safe release of the schoolchildren.