Again, bandits abduct many students in Niger

Armed bandits on Sunday abducted many pupils of an Islamic school in Tegina, a densely populated town in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.

Recall, that it was in the same local government area with Kagara where bandits earlier this year abducted many students but later released them after negotiation with the state government.

The bandits reportedly seized the police station in the town and went round the town shooting sporadically into the air to scare residents before breaking into a private school where they abducted children attending Islamic lectures.

The school, which consists of nursery and primary schools, also hosts Islamiyya students in the evening and at weekends.

According to the school proprietor, Yakubu Idris, the gunmen went away with many students, including his younger sister.

“It is difficult to say the number of students that were abducted,” Mr Idris said.

All efforts for Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun’s comments on the development proved abortive as of the time of this report.

Tegina is the hometown of the local government chairperson, Isma’il Moddibo.