Niger shuts boarding schools after Kagara abductions

The Niger state government has shut down boarding schools in four local government areas (LGAs).

This follows the abduction of school children at the Government Science College (GSC), Kagara.

Gunmen had attacked the school early hours of Wednesday and abducted yet-to-be-known number of the students.

Sani Bello, governor of the state, gave the order at a press conference.

The affected LGAs are Rafi, Munya, Mariga and Shiroro.

The governor called for an emergency meeting with security heads in the state.

The meeting is to strategise on ways to end kidnapping and killings in the state.

The governor called for clam from parents and relatives of the abducted schoolchildren.

He assured them that “proactive action is underway” to arrest the situation.

Gunmen often target boarding schools for attacks and abductions, with previous cases reported in Chibok in Borno state, Dapchi in Yobe state and Kankara in Katsina state.

Boko Haram militants also attacked and killed scores of students at a government school in Buni Yani, Yobe state.