Zamfara govt confirms abduction of schoolgirls

The Zamfara State Government has confirmed the abduction of schoolgirls from a secondary school in the state.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the attack by armed men on the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Friday morning.

Zailani Bappa, the spokesperson to the Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, told PREMIUM TIMES Friday morning that the exact number of students kidnapped has not been ascertained.

He said the state government is working with security operatives to ascertain the details of the kidnap and ensure the kidnapped victims are freed.

A teacher in the school had told the BBC Hausa that about 300 female students were kidnapped.

The latest incident in Zamfara adds to the growing insecurity around the country.

The attack occurs about 10 dayd after over 40 students, staff members and parents were abducted by armed bandits from a school in Niger State. Those abducted in Niger were yet to be released at the time of this report.

Zamfara, in Northwest Nigeria, is one of the states most affected by bandits’ attacks. The attacks have continued despite negotiations initiated by the state government with the bandits. The state government has repeatedly announced that many bandits had surrendered their arms and agreed to amnesty offered by the state government.

More details later…