APC chieftain in Zamfara, Alhaji Abdullahi Shinkafi, on Monday in Gusau applauded security agents for rescuing 75 students abducted from Kaya Secondary School in Maradun Local Government Area of the state.
Gov. Bello Matawalle announced the rescue of the students after the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ayuba Elkanah, presented them to him at Government House, Gusau, on Sunday.
The governor vowed that his administration would decisively deal with bandits.
He explained that the state government in collaboration with the security agencies were re-strategising to secure lives and property of citizens.
The governor assured residents of Zamfara of his administration’s commitment to protect them from criminals at all times.
An excited Shinkafi, Chairman of the state’s Security and Ahmed Bandits Prosecution Committee, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the state government had taken all necessary measures to ensure that those in bandits’ captivity were released unhurt.
He urged the people of the state to be patient with some of the state government’s critical policies as they were temporary in nature.
The Zamfara politician commended Gov. Matawalle for the measures put in place to end banditry and kidnapping in the state.
While presenting the students to the governor on Sunday, the police commissioner said repentant bandits led the rescue team to the camps of the abductors.
Elkanah and other heads of security agencies in the rescue team thanked Gov. Matawalle for the logistics support to the security agencies and pledged renewed commitment in the on-going fight against insecurity in Zamfara.
He asked residents to be patient, be supportive and be prayerful for security operatives to succeed in flushing out bandits unleashing terror on innocent citizens of the state.
One of the teachers in the school, Malam, Zayyanu Ladan, confirmed to NAN that all the 50 female and 25 male students were released unhurt, hale and hearty.
Ladan also told NAN that 80 students were abducted from the school but that five girls were rescued by the police on Sept. 2.
NAN reports that the 75 abducted students and three teachers were released after 16 days in captivity.
Bandits abducted 80 students of the community school, comprising 55 females and 25 males on Friday, Aug. 27.
Security operatives rescued five of the female students on Sept 2, while 75 students remained in captivity.
The abduction of students and teachers in the said school compelled the Zamfara government to take drastic and new security measures to deal with banditry.
It shut all primary and secondary schools and suspended the operation of major weekly markets; banned the sale of petrol in Jerry cans, restricted motorcycle and tricycle operation in parts of the state.
The government also imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew across the state with the exception of Gusau.
While addressing Muslim faithful last Friday, the governor rebuffed the bandits’ renewed plea for dialogue, saying the olive branch stretched at them earlier had been withdrawn and it would be fire-for-fire henceforth.
The Nigerian Communications Commission has also suspended network operations in the state to allow security forces to deal with the security situation challenge. (NAN)
