Bagudu briefs Buhari on Kebbi school abduction, says rescue efforts going well

Atiku Bagudu, governor of Kebbi state, on Tuesday, paid President Muhammadu Buhari a visit to brief him on the abduction of students and staff of Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri.

A number of students and teachers were kidnapped when gunmen attacked the school on June 17. About eight of the abductees have since been rescued.

Speaking to journalists after meeting with Buhari, Bagudu said he told the president that security agencies have been deployed to rescue the students.

He said the president expressed his sympathy and condemned the abduction.

Bagudu said: “I visited Mr. President, President Muhammadu Buhari, to further brief him about the unfortunate incidents in Kebbi state, at the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, where a number of bandits overwhelmed the security agencies and abducted a number of pupils, teaching staff and non-teaching staff and the regrettable loss of life by a police officer in the process and some pupils also and those who were wounded in the process, and those who are still in the hands of the terror gang even though some successes have been commendably achieved by the rescue of some pupils and teachers.

“I explained to him that the security agencies have mobilised and are doing a great job, assisted by the military, the air force, the police, civil defence, vigilante and community leaders. They are still at it and they’re doing a great job, but we need more support by all Nigerians and in fact all to ensure that we give them our maximum cooperation to finish what they have started.

“President has, as always, expressed sympathy to those innocent persons who are held hostage against their will by terror elements and he condemned the action of all terror groups, wherever they are, whether they are bandits, Boko Haram, or any group that is taking away the liberty and freedoms and, in fact, lives and livelihoods of others. He maintained the instruction he has always given to the security agencies to give their maximum best in dealing with those criminal elements.”

The governor further called on all Nigerians to unite and support the security agencies in fishing out the culprits.

“Our stand, I have made it very clear this is condemnable, this should not happen and all people of goodwill, all good people should mobilise to confront evil and evil elements and criminal elements in our society. It’s not just a job for the security agencies, we have to support them. We have to mobilise,” he said.

“Since I made that statement, which I meant by every stretch of imagination, many groups have come out to demonstrate similar supports and yesterday we have seen mobilisation by the Niger state governor and I believe we’ll see more in the coming days.

“Nigerians should unite so that we confront criminality. While offering our sympathies to all those innocent young ones and teachers who are being held. They also appreciated that this thing requires unity of purpose by all Nigerians and that is what will show support to them in calling all governors and even without out calling them, they are eager to do it. But this is further a wake-up call to all of us.”