By Aiyeku Timothy
The United Nations (UN) has asked the Federal Government to punish the abductors of Science College in Kagara, Niger State as men in military uniform on Tuesday kidnapped some school children, relatives and staff.
The world body demanded that the culprits must be punished as the UN chief said “spare no efforts in rescuing those abducted and holding to account those responsible for this act”, the statement added.
In the statement, the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved and his sympathies to the affected families.
Guterres reiterated that attacks on schools and other educational facilities are abhorrent and unacceptable.
The UN chief charged the Nigerian authorities to spare no efforts in rescuing the captives and holding to account those responsible for the act.
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) also denounced the attack “in the strongest possible terms” and called for the immediate and unconditional release of any children who may be missing, and their safe return to their families.
“Attacks on schools are a violation of children’s rights. 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”, Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Nigeria Representative, said in statement.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s government had said it was considering political and military options to rescue the victims.
