Military rescues 9 Kebbi FGC abductees

A special adviser to the Kebbi State governor, Rabiu Kamba, has said a teacher and eight students out of those abducted by bandits on Thursday at the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State, have been rescued.

Armed bandits, numbering about 150 on motorcycles, invaded the college on Thursday at around 12:30 pm and abducted yet to be ascertained number of students.

Kamba said the abductees rescued were at present in the custody of the military, adding that arrangement was in top gear to hand over the victims to the government for an onward reunion with their families.

“A teacher and eight students were rescued by the military.

“They are at present in the custody of the military in Dirin Daji. The government will soon receive them for a reunion with their respective families.”

Daily Trust had reported that troops had engaged bandits in a gun battle in an effort to rescue the students.

One of the students has died in the fire exchange.

The Deputy Force Commander of the Joint Task Force in the North-West Zone, Air Commodore Abubakar AbdulKadir, confirmed this to reporters in Zamfara State on Friday.

‘Rescue operation ongoing’

Meanwhile, the Police in Kebbi State have said the rescue operation was still ongoing for the missing students.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the police spokesperson of the command, DSP Nafiu Abubakar.

The police also denied the report that their van was used by the bandits in evacuating the abductees, saying the vehicle used in evacuating the yet to be ascertained number of missing students belong to a Kebbi State Judge.

“In view of the above, the command also wishes to make it clear and to make the record straight that yet to be ascertained of the students are still missing as the rescue operation is still ongoing.

” The white Hilux Van with registration number KBSJ 29, belonging to a High Court Judge, with the inscription of Kebbi State Judiciary, hijacked by the bandits along Birnin Yauri road, was the one used in perpetrating such a dastardly act and not the police vehicle as stated by some media stations.”