Niger youths give govt 48 hours to rescue Kagara students, others

Youths in Niger State on Saturday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the state government to rescue 41 persons abducted from the Government Science Secondary School, Kagara, and 21 commuters abducted along Minna-Zungeru road.

Briefing journalists at the Abdulsalami Youth Centre in Minna, the youths, under the aegis of the National Youths Council of Nigeria, decried the lack of security in the state and accused the state government of not doing much to tackle the challenge.

“Today in Niger State, not less than 10 local governments are either facing kidnapping or banditry of various forms,” the youths’ statement said. “This is becoming unbearable and unacceptable.

They charged the state and the federal government to “sit up” and face the business of securing lives and properties.

The federal government earlier on Saturday said it will not pay a ransom to secure the release of abducted persons, although it is exploring military and non-military options in securing the freedom of victims.

Many communities in Niger State, which shares borders with the Federal Capital Territory and is the largest state in the country, have suffered from bandit attacks for years.

Barely 24 hours after the Kagara school attack, gunmen attacked other communities in the state, killing at least one person.

The state government has shut down boarding schools in affected areas and has said it is working to secure the release of kidnapped persons. (Channels Tv)