Niger State Orders Immediate Closure Of Boarding Schools

Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State has ordered the immediate closure of all boarding schools in the bandit ravaged areas of the state.

This comes after armed men attacked Government Science College Kagara in Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

The incident started at about 2:00 am on Wednesday with the gunmen shooting sporadically. One student is believed to have been killed while several others have been abducted.

The governor said the closure of the schools was necessary to save the lives of the students as the areas have already been taken over by bandits.

He said this after a brief meeting with heads of security agencies in the state at the Government House, Minna on Wednesday.

The governor also begged President Muhammadu Buhari to deploy all necessary mechanisms to help in containing the situation.

Meanwhile, the official spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr Garba Shehu has said the President has directed the Armed Forces and Police to ensure immediate release of the captives. He stated this development via his twitter handle:

Following these reports, the President has directed the Armed Forces and Police, to ensure immediate and safe return of all the captives.

— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) February 17, 2021