Over 300 school girls abducted by gunmen in Zamfara state

The Zamfara state government has confirmed the abduction of female students of Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in the Talata-Mafara Local Government area of the state.

Gunmen suspected to be bandits stormed the school in the early hours of Friday, Friday February 26, and abducted the schoolgirls.

Confirming the incident to newsmen, the state commissioner of Security and Home Affairs, Abubakar Dauran, said the number of students abducted is yet to be ascertained.

“I can confirm to you now that we have sadly received the report on the abduction of the students of GGSS Jangebe and right now, I am on my way to the school.

“At this moment, l cannot say how many students were taken away by the gunmen until l get there, but we have already mobilized security men and members of the vigilantatè who are now in pursuit of the abductors,” the commissioner said

One of the teachers of the school has claimed that close to 550 students were abducted by the gunmen who stormed the school.

The teacher who spoke to Daily Trust said out of 600 students of the school, about 50 were left behind. 

He also disclosed that parents of the students who escaped the abduction, came as early as 5am to take away their daughters, adding that some mothers of the kidnapped girls were slumping on the school premises.

The teacher said; 

“Initially, the school authorities prevented them from going with the remaining students but they grew angrier and began to pull down doors and windows of the buildings in the school and the school authority had to yield to their demands.

“When the gunmen laid siege, they attacked the soldiers stationed in the community before they gained entry into the school.

“Some people told us that they stationed vehicles at the outskirts of the school.

“Security operatives and the local vigilante groups are trailing the gunmen and dozens of other residents have volunteered to take part in the search."

This abduction is coming just days after some students were also abducted in a school in Kagara headquarters of Rafi Local Government Area in Niger state. The abductees are yet to be released and this is happening again.