LAGOS, Nigeria – Gunmen kidnapped 317 girls from boarding school in northern Nigeria on Friday, police said, the latest in a series of mass kidnappings of students in the West African country.
Police and military have begun joint operations to rescue the girls following the attack on the Government Girls Junior Secondary School in the city of Yangebe, according to Zamfara state police spokesman Mohammed Shehu, who confirmed the number of abductees.
A parent, Nasiru Abdullahi, told The Associated Press that his daughters aged 10 and 13 are among the missing.
“It is disappointing that although the military has a strong presence near the school, they were unable to protect the girls,” he said. “At this stage we only hope for divine intervention.”
Resident Musa Mustapha said the gunmen also attacked a nearby military camp and checkpoint, preventing soldiers from interfering while the gunmen spent several hours at the school. It was not immediately clear whether there were any casualties.
Several large groups of armed men operate in Zamfara State, described by the government as bandits, and are known for kidnapping for money and pushing for the release of their members from prison.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said Friday that the government’s primary goal is to get all hostages back to school safe, alive and unharmed.
“We will not succumb to blackmail by bandits and criminals targeting innocent students in anticipation of massive ransom payments,” he said. “Don’t let bandits, kidnappers and terrorists have any illusions that they are more powerful than the government. They should not confuse our reluctance with the humanitarian goals of protecting innocent lives as a weakness, or a sign of fear or indecision. “
He called on state governments to review their policy of making payments, in cash or vehicles, to bandits.
“Such a policy could backfire, with disastrous consequences,” said Buhari. He also said state and local governments should play their part by being proactive in improving safety in and around schools.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the kidnappings and called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of the girls and a safe return to their families, with attacks on schools being a serious violation of human and children’s rights, said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. .
The UN chief reaffirmed UN support to the government and people of Nigeria “in their fight against terrorism, violent extremism and organized crime,” Dujarric said, urging the Nigerian authorities to “make every effort. to bring those responsible for this crime to justice ”.
“We are angry and saddened by yet another brutal attack on school children in Nigeria,” said Peter Hawkins, UNICEF representative in the country. “This is a gross violation of the rights of children and a horrifying experience for children.” He called for their immediate release.
Nigeria has experienced several such attacks and kidnappings over the years, most notably the mass kidnapping in April 2014 by the Boko Haram jihadist group of 276 high school girls in Chibok, Borno state. More than a hundred of the girls are still missing.
Friday’s attack came less than two weeks after gunmen kidnapped 42 people, including 27 students, from Government Science College Kagara, Niger. The students, teachers and family members are still being held.
In December, 344 students were kidnapped from Government Science Secondary School Kankara, Katsina State. They were eventually released.
Anietie Ewang, Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch, noted the recent kidnappings and tweeted that “Vigorous action by authorities is required to turn the tide and keep schools safe.”
Amnesty International also condemned the “terrible attack”, warning in a statement that “the abducted girls are at serious risk of harm”.
Teachers have been forced to flee to other states for protection, and many children have had to give up their education amid frequent violent attacks in communities, Amnesty said.
AP writer Carley Petesch in Dakar, Senegal contributed to this report.