By Correspondent in Minna
Against continued siege by the armed militia in Niger state, the state government says it has unleashed combined security forces to ensure immediate rescue of the 136 abducted students of the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School in Tegina, Rafi local Government Area and others in their custody.
Addressing the combined security force comprising; the Military, Nigerian Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), and Vigilante Corps in Kagara, Rafi Local Government Area, the Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, said the state government decided to take decisive step to ensure safe return of the children.
Governor, who had earlier met with parents of the 136 kidnapped students and other stakeholders at the palace of the Emir of Kagara, Alhaji Ahmed Garba Gunna, sympathised with them and urged them to exercise patience, telling them that the government was exploring all avenues to ensure that their wards return home safely.
“Even though we have ruled out payment of ransom, it is time for government to take decisive action to end the bandits’ reign of terror that is forcefully, negatively changing the lives of the people especially those in the rural areas”.
“We have to try our best possible not make them succeed in forcing us to change our normal way of life they started by displacing farmers from their farmlands, next, they moved to burning farms, then, moved to kidnappings and forcing us to close our schools.
“Now, they have started attacking Islamic schools, only God knows what next they will want to do,”he said.
Governor Bello described the abductors as inhuman, adding that they had no respect for God and sanctity of life..
“The abductors are not honest, they are not honourable. After agreeing with parents,they started shifting the goal post. Now we are here to take action.
“Most of these armed bandits are not Nigerians but they are hired to cause problems for us, Nigerians and in our own country. It is not the habit of a true Fulani man to indulge in this kind of act and that is why we are here to fight back”.
The Governor further lamented that, “These armed bandits are well organised and coordinated and we cannot fold our arms anymore but take decisive and necessary steps toward apprehending the armed bandits and their collaborators, the informant”.
Governor Bello, while commending security agencies for efforts in fighting the bandits in the past few weeks, assured them that their logistics would be provided for them.
“Your allowances and other financial benefits will always be provided as at when due,” he assured the security agencies.
While mourning the killing of 20 Vigilante Corps members by the armed bandits in Magama Local Government, Bello pleaded with the Federal government to collaborate with neigbouring countries to end influx of armed militia into Nigeria. “From all indications, these bandits are foreigners, they are not Nigerians”.
Also speaking, the Emir of Kagara, Alhaji Ahmad Garba Gunna Attahiru II, expressed appreciation to the Governor for the support, especially in securing the area and the entire emirate as well as the family of the kidnapped schoolchildren.
The Headmaster of the Islamiyyah School, Mallam Abubakar Alhassan, said he was happy with renewed vigour to check the armed bandits, describing the action of the government as a welcome development provided that their children would be brought back safely.
Alhassan told journalists that; 15 of his teachers escaped from the abductors where they were kept in Zamfara forest. 4 of them already in Kagara while 11 are still in military facility in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna state, where they would be handed over to Niger state government soon.
