The Zamfara Police Command has confirmed that 73 students were abducted by gunmen from Government Day Secondary school, Kaya in Maradun LGA of the state on Wednesday.
The abduction of students from the home town of Governor Bello Matawalle followed the invasion of the school by large number of armed bandits around 11 a.m, the police said in a statement.
“The Command under the leadership of CP Ayuba N Elkanah psc+ has deployed search and rescue team that was mandated to work in synergy with the military to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted students
“The CP further appealed to the general Public especially parents and relatives of the abducted students to exercise patience and continue to pray for the success of the Ongoing rescue operation. Security has also been been beefed up at Kaya Village and environ to forestall further attack on the communities”
“Further development will be made known to members of the public,” SP Mohammed Shehu, spokesperson for Zamfara Police Command said in the statement.
A source was quoted by PRNigeria as saying the incident is coming with an escalation of banditry in the state.
“Before the abduction of the student, another group of bandits attacked and abducted some people at Gurbin Bore, a border village between Zamfara and Katsina today
“Just last weekend, Sunday August 29 to be precise some bandits at Dogon Karfe near Moriki town killed a local businesswoman, Hajia Rumba Jengeru and one Engineer Umar Moriki, a director in the state civil service while they were travelling along Moriki-Shinkafi Road.
“And yesterday, the bandits struck again and killed two more travellers, a Man and a woman at Dogon Karfe near Moriki Town
“The situation is becoming distressing and appalling with the killings and abductions of innocent citizens on regular basis,” the source said.