TheCable

The police say efforts are on to rescue the abducted students of Government Science College, Kagara, Niger state.

Frank Mba, police spokesman, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

At least 41 people — including 27 students and nine of their family members — were taken hostage by suspected bandits in the early hours of Wednesday.

The school premises was deserted when TheCable visited on Thursday.

Mba said Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police, had ordered the deployment of additional tactical, intelligence, and investigative assets of the force for the rescue operation.

According to him, four units of police mobile force (PMF) attached to Operation Puff Adder II, one unit of police special forces, personnel of the counter-terrorism unit (CTU), and operatives from the force intelligence bureau have been deployed.

He added that personnel of the force criminal investigations department, as well as one police aerial surveillance helicopter, have also been deployed.

Mba explained that the force’s search-and-rescue operation is being coordinated by the commissioner of police in Niger state.

TheCable had reported that a local vigilante group has also joined in efforts to rescue the schoolchildren.