Niger abduction: Bandits release 11 children ‘who were too small to walk’

Eleven of the children abducted from Salihu Tanko Islamic School in Rafi LGA of Niger state have been released.

Bandits had invaded the school located at Tegina on Sunday and shot one person dead and left one seriously injured.

Although TheCable has been unable to confirm the actual number of abductees, hundreds of persons, including children, teachers, and passengers of a bus were taken hostage.

Mary Noel-Berje, chief press secretary to the Niger state governor, said the bandits released the children “who were too small and couldn’t walk”.

Noel-Berje said the gunmen came with about 70 motorcycles and attacked 17 communities in Rafi, Wushishi, and Lavun LGAs of the state.

She said during the operation in Wushishi, they shot several people while some women and children drowned as they try to escape across River Kaduna.

“More than ten people are reported to be receiving treatment at the Wushishi General Hospital even as search is still ongoing for many missing persons from Babako, Tashan Girgi, Kwakwagi, Fakara, Ndiga, Buzu, Akare, Kala Kala, Agwa, Anguwan Gizo, Tsamiya and other neighbouring villages attacked by the Bandits,” the statement read.

Noel-Berje said Sani Bello, Niger governor, is outraged at the “escalating level of banditry” in the state and has reiterated his call on the federal government to promptly intervene.

“The situation has reached crisis level, infact it’s a war situation that we have to confront without further delay,” she quoted the governor as saying.

The spokesperson said the state government is still searching and conducting a house-to-house headcount to determine the exact number of children abducted.

She said the joint military task force has been mobilised to track the bandits.