ABUJA, Feb 27 (NNN-XINHUA) – Nigerian authorities ordered
the closure of all boarding schools in the northwestern state of Zamfara
after the abduction of 317 girl students by gunmen in the state.
Bello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara, said in a broadcast that the move was to prevent activities of militants against students.
Nigerian police confirmed that 317 students were abducted from a girls’
secondary school in Zamfara early Friday.
“I want to assure the parents of the victims that we are doing everything
possible to rescue the victims and reunite them with their families,”
Matawalle said.
Heavily-armed criminal gangs known locally as “bandits” in northwest and central Nigeria have stepped up attacks in recent years, kidnapping for ransom, raping and pillaging.
Just last week, 42 people were taken by a gang from a boys school in nearby Niger state.
In December, more than 300 boys were kidnapped from a school in Kankara, in President Muhammadu Buhari’s home state of Katsina, while he was visiting the region.
The boys were later released but the incident triggered outrage and memories of the kidnappings of schoolgirls by jihadists in Dapchi and Chibok that shocked the world. — NNN-XINHUA
