The vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019, Mr Peter Obi, has described the abduction of school children from Government Science College, Kagara, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State as an attack on Nigeria’s fundamental development.
In a statement by his Media Office, yesterday, Obi said any attack on students is an attack on education which, in turn, falls back on national development, as education remains a critical contributor to national development.
Lamenting the security situation in the country, Obi regretted that the government was yet to rescue the kidnapped students.
He said: “The incessant cases of security challenges in the country have continued to discourage, not just the inflow of foreign direct investment, but, also, local investors from moving the economy forward.”
Police begins aerial search to rescue abducted students, teachers, others
From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Police Force Headquarters in Abuja said it has begun an aerial search to rescue the kidnapped students, teachers, and staff of Government Science College, Kagara, in Niger State.
Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, who made the disclosure in a statement, said: “To give impetus to the rescue operation, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has ordered the deployment of additional tactical, intelligence and investigative assets of the Force including four units of Police Mobile Force (PMF) attached to Operation Puff Adder II, one Unit of Police Special Forces, personnel of the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and operatives from the Force Intelligence Bureau and the Force Criminal Investigations Department. One police aerial surveillance helicopter has also been deployed.
“The police component of the search and rescue operation is being coordinated by the Commissioner of Police, Niger State, who is effectively harnessing all the deployed resources and working in sync with the military and other law enforcement agents in ensuring an intelligence-driven, focused and result-oriented ground and aerial surveillance in the rescue operations, and to bring the perpetrators to book.
“The Inspector General of Police, while calling for calm, has enjoined members of the community to provide the Force and the security community with useful, relevant and timely information, that can assist in the ongoing search and rescue operations.”