Kagara: Don’t be discouraged from schooling, Niger governor appeals to freed students

Niger State governor, Sani Bello, has appealed to the 24 students of Government Science College in Kagara freed by their abductors in the early hours of Saturday not to let the incident discourage them from pursuing their education.

The governor charged the students to see the development as one of life’s lessons and be resolved to continue schooling. Bello, who spoke while receiving the students as well as six staff of the school and eight of their relatives in Minna, the state capital, promised to address the root cause of banditry in the state.

Among the 38 released, one was said to have been hospitalised due to excessive exhaustion. They were said to have been freed at a location around Kaduna State early on Saturday.

The governor disclosed a joint effort among the state government, security agents and traditional leaders as well as other relevant stakeholders led to the release of the abductees.

The governor thanked the security agencies, the people of the state and Nigerians for their efforts and prayers while the abductees were in captivity. The released victims were taken to a government-owned facility for clean-up and medical attention as soon as they arrived in the state capital.

They will remain under medical examination for a few days before they would be reunited with their families They were kidnapped on February, 17, when bandits stormed the school, while one of the students, Benjamin Habila was shot dead at the school premises by the gunmen.

Buhari welcomes release

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has welcomed the release of the students, applauding the ef- forts of the state government and security and intelligence agencies in securing the release. A statement issued on Saturday by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity) said the president sympathised with the staff and the students, their parents and friends on the ordeal they went through.

He, however, warned that the country will not continue to suffer these attacks that threaten the growth of education, the security and life of the future leaders at the same time putting the country in a negative light.

The president reiterated his earlier advice to school owners, particularly the state and local governments as well as religious organisations to scale up security around their schools in line with the standards laid down by the UN-backed Safe School Programme of the administration.

President Buhari reiterated his condemnation of the school abductions, with the latest one at the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Zamfara State, and directed all security and intelligence agencies in the country to hunt down the culprits and bring them to justice.

Parents thank state government

Parents of the students have commended the Niger State government for securing their release. One of the parents, Mallam Aliyu Isah, who is the principal, Junior Secondary School, Pandogari, said his wife and five of his children were among those who regained freedom.

“I just want to thank God for the safe return of my wife and children. I went through sleepless nights because I didn’t know the condition they were in,” he said.

Isah lauded the efforts of Governor Bello and the commitment he demonstrated since the abduction. Another parent, Abubakar Musa, expressed happiness over the release of the victims and said that he and other family members were always praying for the safe return of their wards.

“Six of my children are among the victims, even though I am yet to meet with them, I am optimistic that I will meet them in good health,” he said.

One of the relatives of the victims, who pleaded anonymity, said her sister was among the released victims. “I cannot tell you what I went through just by thinking of what condition my sister was in, but I thank God for her safe return,” she said.

Some of the parents, however, said they were yet to meet with their wards and were seen looking pathetic.

Release of students delights UNICEF Rep

A representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Nigeria, Mr Peter Hawkins, has expressed relief on the release of the schoolboys in Kagara, Niger State, describing the development as a positive outcome. In a release made available to newsmen in Bauchi on Saturday, Hawkins commiserated with the family of Benjamin Habila, who was shot dead by the bandits during the overnight attack. He noted that any attack on students or pupils was a violation of children’s rights.

“The Kagara school attack – like that of Government Girls’ Secondary School Jangebe in Zamfara State, Friday, and others before it – shouldn’t have happened in the first place because children shouldn’t be the target of attacks, least of all in a place they ought to feel safe – a school”, he lamented. “Attacks on educational facilities are a grave violation of children’s rights. Children should never be the target of an attack – and yet, far too often in Nigeria, they are precisely that – victims of attacks on their schools.

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