A female student among scores of students abducted from Federal Government College, Birnin Yawuri, in Kebbi State was found dead as troops of the Nigerian Army engaged bandits in a gun battle.
Five of the students and two teachers were how rescued in the rescue mission carried out by a combined team of Operation Hadarin Daji and forces of the Nigerian Air Force.
In the latest incident of mass abductions in the North West, the bandits had on Thursday invaded the school in Kebbi State and abducted over 80 students and five teachers.
The attack is said to be the third mass abduction from a school in the region in a couple of weeks, just as over 800 students have been kidnapped from their schools since December last year.
Confirming the development yesterday, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said one of the female students was found dead in the forest by the troops combating the criminals, Nigerian army spokesperson Onyema Nwachukwu said in a statement.
The director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, noted that the five students and teachers who were rescued regained their freedom after an exchange of fire in the early hours of yesterday.
He stated that the troops are still on the heels of the kidnappers in order to rescue the remaining abductees still in captivity.
He added that the troops, with support of the Nigerian Air Force, also recovered 800 rustled cattle.
Specifically, Nwachukwu said the rescue followed an initial encounter with the abductors in the early Friday after trailing them from Yawuri through Riyao to Sombo community where the criminals who had split into two groups fled, with one group conveying the abducted children, while the second group carried rustled cattle.
“The Land troops in conjunction with elements of the Nigerian Air Force, who provided close air support during the rescue mission intercepted the two groups at about 2.30 am and engaged them in a fire fight leading to the successful rescue of the teachers and students. The troops also recovered 800 cattle rustled by the bandits.
“The gallant troops are still on the heels of the kidnappers in order to rescue the remaining abductees still in captivity.
“Sadly, a casualty was recorded during the exchange. A female student was found to have given up the ghost as a result of exhaustion. The rescued teachers and students will be handed over to the Kebbi State Government.”
The director, while commending the citizens for their cooperation, also solicited more support for the military.
He recalled that the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Faruk Yahaya, had directed the Commander to spare no effort until all the abducted persons are safely rescued and reunited with their loved ones.
Meanwhile, Kebbi State governor, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, led top government officials on a visit to the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC) Birnin-Yauri to the College in Birnin Yauri ascertain the number of students abducted by the bandits.
Bagudu who condemned the act also assured the parents and the management of the college of the immediate release of the victims.
He also received briefing from the management of the college led by the principal on how the incident happened and the actual number of the students that were kidnapped.
The governor told the management of the school that security has been beefed up in order to get rid of the bandits from the area.
He noted that already, a combined team of security operatives has been sent to the path where the bandits were said to have followed to secure the release of the students.
Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic Reopens, Soldiers Deployed In School
Meanwhile, the management of Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic Zaria in Kaduna State has asked students to resume for normal academic activities.
The school was closed after one student was killed and about 10 people were kidnapped by bandits who raided the school penultimate Thursday.
Samuel Aruwan, the state’s commissioner for internal security had said the criminals attacked the main campus of the Polytechnic, shooting sporadically and abducting two lecturers and eight students.
A statement issued yesterday by the Information and Protocol officer of the school, Mahmud Aliyu Kwarbai, said the directive to reopen the school followed improved situation in the Polytechnic.
The statement noted: “Sequel to the improvement of the security situation and the measures taken by the state government and the school management to ensure the safety of lives and property in the Polytechnic, I am directed to inform all students and polytechnic community that school will re-open on Monday June, 21, 2021.”
In a telephone interview with LEADERSHIP Weekend, the Polytechnic’s acting spokesman, Mahmud kwarbai also disclosed that already, over 20 military personnel have been deployed permanently in the school, while the management has dedicated two Hilux vans for routine patrol around the institution
“Therefore, all students are to resume for normal academic activities,” he said.
The statement by Kwarbai further noted: “This deployment of military personnel is in adding to the existing security apparatus in the school. You may recall that there were some mobile police in place operating in the school.
“Similarly local hunters have also been engaged to enhance adequate security within and around the surrounding bushes of the Polytechnic.”
