Police Rescue Kidnapped Schoolgirls In Niger

The Police have rescued two schoolgirls kidnapped on Wednesday morning by gunmen in Rijau area of Niger State.

The two girls, Serah Danjuma and Martha Daniels, were kidnapped from the Government Vocational School at about 3:20am on Wednesday after gaining entry into the school compound through a broken fence. It was learnt that the girls were taken into the Rijau forests by the kidnappers.

It was gathered that a distress call made to the anti-kidnapping team of the police in the area unsettled the kidnappers.

In a battle that reportedly lasted for about two hours between the police and the kidnappers, the gunmen were said to have been overpowered by the police.

It was learnt that the kidnappers ran deeper into the forest with gunshot wounds, abandoning the kidnapped girls in the process.

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Bala Elkana, who confirmed the rescue of the girls said that policemen were still in the forest looking for the kidnappers.

Elkana said the girls were rescued not too far from their school, which was a little distance from Kebbi State.

He said the two girls aged between 15 and 16 had returned to the school to continue their academic pursuits.

The Police spokesperson advised the school authority to ensure that the part of the broken fence from where the kidnappers entered the school was repaired, whilst suggesting that perimeter fencing of all schools in the state should be constructed.

“It will not be out of place if all schools install closed-circuit television cameras to monitor movement into and out of the schools,” he added.