Fear, anxiety as parents of abducted Niger students await safe return of their children

From John Adams, Minna

Fear, anxiety, anger and apprehension is the order of the day in Kagara, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger state as parents of the students of Government Science College Kagara who were abducted last week Wednesday morning await eagerly for the safe rescue of their children.

Atmosphere of disquiet remains the current situation in Kagara town as sympathizers continue to troop into various family houses of those kidnapped to console with them.

Although there is heavy security presence in the town, both commercial and business activities are at the lowest ebb as people hardly stay beyond 7:00pmoutside for fear of the unknown.

The state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani has cancelled all official engagements within and out side the state since the abduction of the school children, and has continue to engage various stakeholders in dialogue on how to rescue the abductees.

“We will not rest until these children are rescued and re-united with their parents. We will not only secure the release of the victims, we will solve this situation once and for all, it is not going to be easy and it will not happen in one day but are almost getting there”, the governor said.

He therefore reassured the people of the state that “all the victims will be rescue. The priority of the government now is to ensure safe return of the school children”.

Although parents of the kidnapped Students are yet to over come the shock and trauma of the Wednesday abduction of their wards, and couldn’t speak to our correspondent, however a 57 year old Abdullahi Adamu, the father of Musa Adamu, an SS11 student who is among the victims, said all he want to see is the safe return of his child.

He said he put all his trust in Allah for the safe rescue of his Son and other Students that were kidnapped, adding that “I believed Government will live up to it promise of rescuing these Students unhurt.

“I can tell you that live has not being the same since my son was abducted. But I know Allah is great and will intervene in this situation”, he said.

Meanwhile, following the recent attacks and the abduction of the students and the 47 passengers on board of State Transport Authority, the police had deplored no fewer than 300 additional special mobile force to reinforce the state police for the safe rescue of all the victims.

Niger state Commissioner of Police Mallam Adamu Usman made this known when he received the Operation Puff – Adder 11 in Minna.

He disclosed that it will be community driven operation aimed at re- dominating and reclaiming the public space from the criminals.

He reassured of embarking on massive and well planned deployment of four units of Police Moble Force and Special forces to the prone local governments of Rafi, Shiroro Munya, Bangi, Lapai/Agaie axis to consolidate on the successes and achievements of operation Puff -Adder 1launched by Inspector General of Police.