KADUNA (Nigeria), Aug 7 (NNN-XINHUA) — Nigeria’s northwestern state of Kaduna announced it would suspend the resumption of both public and private schools across the state as security operations against armed bandits proceed.
“The Kaduna state government has accepted the security advisory, and hereby directs total compliance by all schools, and agencies involved in delivering infrastructure projects in high-risk areas. New dates for school resumption will be announced based on security assessments,” said a statement from the state government.
“While wishing the military and security agencies resounding success against the bandits, the state government appeals for the understanding of all citizens for any inconvenience and urges all residents to be patient and to report any security issues to the security agencies,” it added.
The state government ordered the closure of schools in early July after gunmen attacked a secondary school and abducted an unknown number of students.
The state has witnessed a series of student kidnappings in recent months. According to an official security report, the Kaduna state government confirmed that 222 people were killed and 774 others kidnapped in the second quarter of 2021 in a spate of attacks by gunmen.
On Sunday, kidnappers who raided a boarding school earlier this month released 28 children, though another 81 remain in captivity, said a pastor involved in the negotiations.
The attack on the Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna was the 10th mass school kidnapping since December in northwest Nigeria, which authorities have attributed to criminal gangs seeking ransom payments. — NNN-XINHUA
