Reports say no fewer than 200 students of an Islamiyya school located at Tegina in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State have been abducted on Sunday.
One person was reportedly shot dead while another lays critically injured after gunmen carried out the kidnap operation at about 4:30pm on Sunday.
Zayyad Mohammed, a resident of the area confirmed this to Channels Television via telephone.
He said Salihu Tanko Islamiyya school where the incident took place, was built by a retired Immigration Officer.
They arrived in their numbers on motorcycles and started shooting sporadically into the air.
Wasiu Abiodun, spokesman of the state police command, also confirmed the incident, adding that tactical teams have been mobilised to the location to rescue the victims.
He said in a statement: “On 30/05/2021 at about 1500hrs, armed bandits on board motorcycles in their numbers invaded Tegina town, Rafi LGA shooting indiscriminately and abducted a yet to be ascertained number of children at Salihu Tanko Islamic school, Tegina. The bandits shot one person dead in the process.
“However, the Command has immediately mobilized all tactical teams including operation puff 2 to the location for rescue of the victims.
“The Command also calls for calm as the Police and other security agencies shall do everything humanly possible to ensure that the children are rescued unhurt.”
This is the second time schoolchildren are being kidnapped by bandits in Niger this year.
