Eleven students who were part of hundreds kidnapped on Sunday evening from an Islamiyya school located at Tegina in Rafi Local Government Area, have been released.
A communique Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Mary Noel-Berje, on Sunday night said the released children were deemed too small and couldn’t walk.
Noel-Berje said Governor Abubakar Sani Bello expressed shock and is saddened by the recent reports of abduction of innocent people by armed bandits in several communities across three Local Government Areas of Rafi, Wushishi, and Bida.
The gunmen had invaded Tegina community in Rafi LGA, shot one person dead, and left one seriously injured as well as kidnapped an unconfirmed number of Islamiyya students and teachers from Salihu Tanko Islamic School alongside some passengers of a Sharon bus travelling to Minna.
Governor Bello was quoted to have reiterated his call on the Federal Government to effect prompt intervention.
“The situation has reached crisis level, in fact, it’s a war situation that we have to confront without further delay,” the governor fumed while also stating that the state government is still searching and conducting a house-to-house headcount to ascertain the exact number of children abducted at Tegina.
The governor described the current situation as unfortunate and unbecoming and assured that the Joint Military Taskforce has been mobilised and are already tracing the tracks of the criminals for possible isolation and ambush.
Governor Bello, however, appealed for calm and restated the “strong resolve” of the state government to continue to protect the lives and property of the citizens as a matter of utmost importance and priory.
