By Akinwale Kasali
Most Nigerians are not only angry over the abduction of a yet to be known number of students of the Federal Government College, Yauri, Kebbi State, they are shocked at the ease and timing of the abduction.
They are asking how the students could have been abducted in broad daylight without any security agencies intercepting the bandits who reportedly came riding several motor cycles. How remote is the school?, they want to know. How could the bandits escape carrying the students, perhaps in pairs or in threes? Where were the check points usually mounted by the Military and Police?
The bandits, according to the Police, also came in a vehicle belonging to a High Court Judge in the State Judiciary, obviously snatched. When was the vehicle snatched? And was it reported to the Police? Where is the driver of the snatched vehicle?
Nigerians are also saying it is such a shame that this abduction happened soon after President Muhammadu Buhari granted interviews promising and threatening fire and brimstone against those who he claimed wanted to make the country ungovernable for him. These bandit, many agree, have again, called Buhari’s bluff.
Speaking on the incident, Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, strongly condemned the abduction of the students and teachers.
So far, one of the students has been found dead.
Bagudu lamented the spate of insecurity in the country, and applauded the Army’s swift response in securing the release of some students and teachers.
He promised a quick release of the remaining abductees.
The bandits allegedly entered the town through the nearby Rijau forest.
On arrival to the school, the armed bandits were said to have shot and killed a security personnel during an exchange of gunfire.
The Kebbi State Police Command spokesperson, Nafiu Abubakar, in a statement, said the police are in hot pursuit of the bandits, but failed to disclose the numbers of students abdcuted.
In his words, “A combined team of Police operatives is currently in hot pursuit of bandits who today, June 17, 2021 attacked the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State.
“The team comprising operatives from the Police Mobile Force, Anti-kidnapping and Counter-terrorism units are currently combing nearby forests, routes and suspected hideouts of the criminals.
“The Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, CP Adeleke Adeyinka, mni while condemning the attack which resulted in the unfortunate death of one policeman and gunshot injury to one of the students has assured parents and guardians of students that the Command is following credible leads and intensifying efforts to track the assailants and ensure the rescue of the students and teachers”, the statement reads.
Director, Army Public Relations Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, had in a statement on Friday said the Nigerian Army troops operating under the auspices of Operation Hadarin Daji who have been on a hot pursuit of kidnappers and bandits following an unfortunate abduction incident in Federal Government College, Birnin Yawuri had so far, rescued two teachers and five students after a fierce exchange of fire with the criminals.
He said the rescue followed an initial encounter with the abductors in the early hours of today 18 June 2021 after trailing the kidnappers from Yawuri through Riyao to Sombo community, where the kidnappers who had split into two groups fled, with one group conveying the abducted children , while the second group conveyed rustled cattle.
Nwachukwu stated that the land troops in conjunction with elements of the Nigerian Air Force, who provided close air support during the rescue mission intercepted the two groups at about 2.30 am and engaged them in a fire fight leading to the successful rescue of the teachers and students.
“The troops also recovered 800 cattle rustled by the bandits. The gallant troops are still on the heels of the kidnappers in order to rescue the remaining abductees still in captivity.
“Sadly, a casualty was recorded during the exchange. A female student was found to have given up the ghost as a result of exhaustion. The rescued teachers and students will be handed over to the Kebbi State Government,” he said.
