Fifteen kids have been kidnapped from a college in Nigeria, nearly two days after round 300 college students have been taken hostage.
Gunmen invaded the Gidan Bakuso village in Sokoto state at about 1am (12am UK time) on Saturday, police spokesman Ahmad Rufa’i mentioned.
The gang seized the youngsters from their hostel earlier than safety forces might arrive, and likewise kidnapped one girl from the village.
Mr Rufa’i mentioned {that a} police tactical squad was deployed to seek for the scholars, however added that inaccessible roads within the space have hindered the rescue mission.
“It’s a distant village (and) automobiles can’t go there,” he mentioned. “They (the police squad) had to make use of bikes to the village.”
College proprietor Liman Abubakar Bakuso informed Reuters that the gunmen sporadically fired pictures whereas within the village and that college students ran for canopy in panic.
“They succeeded in abducting 15 of my college students, the oldest being 20 and 15, however all of the others are under 13,” he mentioned.
“We’re in a state of panic and have been praying laborious for his or her protected launch.”
Police spokesman Ahmad Rufa’i mentioned a tactical squad was deployed to seek for the scholars. Pic: AP / Sunday Alamba
It’s the third mass abduction within the West African nation in lower than every week, after at the least 287 college pupils have been taken by gunmen attacking a college.
Locals informed reporters that gunmen surrounded the varsity in Kuriga city round 8am native time on Thursday, simply as lessons have been about to start out.
“We’ll make sure that each youngster will come again,” Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna state, informed villagers on Thursday. “We’re working with the safety companies.”
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
Nigerian gunmen abduct 287 college students
On 6 March, a gaggle suspected to be Islamist insurgents kidnapped 50 individuals, principally girls, within the distant Gamboru space – on the border with Chad and Cameroon.
No group claimed duty for any of the abductions.
On Saturday, Nigeria’s vp Kashim Shettima met with some dad and mom of the kidnapped Kuriga college students, and warranted them of efforts to search out and rescue the youngsters.
Learn extra:
On board Jordan’s flight airdropping help to determined Gazans
Nigeria financial institution boss killed in California helicopter crash
A girls prays for the kidnapped LEA Major and Secondary College college students in Kuriga, Kaduna state. Pic: AP
The most recent kidnapping additionally comes a decade after members of the Islamist militant group Boko Haram kidnapped 276 feminine college students in a night-time assault.
In accordance with Amnesty Worldwide, greater than 90 of the kidnapped college students are nonetheless lacking after being taken from a authorities secondary college within the Borno state city of Chibokare.
Some 1,500 college students have been kidnapped in raids since 2014. Lately, the abductions have been concentrated in northwestern and central areas, the place dozens of armed teams usually goal villagers and travellers for enormous ransoms.
