A kidnapping event took place at St. Mary’s Co Ed School, located in the Niger region of Nigeria, which led to the taking away of a total of 315 persons, comprising both pupils and personnel. The school’s invaders reportedly arrived on Friday morning and the whole thing lasted for almost three hours, they were selective as to who they would take among the girls and boys within the age range of 8 to18 years old. Initially, the number of those taken was reported as 227, but later on, the Christian Association of Nigeria together with local authorities carried out a ‘verification exercise’ and it turned out that the revised figure was 303 students and 12 staff members. Approximately 50% of the pupil population at the school, which was 629, was made up of abducted students.
Government’s Response To Nigeria Faces One Of Its Worst School Abductions As 315 Taken Hostage
The very first government reaction was concerned with the rescue of the victims and the control of the situation. Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago informed that, during the rescue operation, both intelligence and police units would be conducting a head count and he subsequently ordered the temporary closing of all state schools. The national education ministry also gave the order for the closure of 47 boarding secondary schools in the country. The entire scenario coincided with the increasing number of armed bandit groups’ attacks in Nigeria’s central and northwest regions, where rural schools with low security presence were their preferred targets.
Nigeria Faces One Of Its Worst School Abductions As 315 Taken Hostage
The criminal act of kidnapping has caused worries that spread not only in the country but also the whole world. Nigeria is still experiencing the effects of the 2014 mass abduction of over 300 girls at Chibok by Boko Haram and the latest case shows very well the ongoing ransom kidnapping situation. The criminal gangs have become more advanced and at times even cooperate with the jihadists which makes the security situation even worse. Meanwhile, the US is exerting influence on the Nigerian authorities to swiftly perform military and diplomatic operations, the latter is the source of people’s concerns about the violence that is creeping into the areas inhabited by Christians and civilians.
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