Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has promised to secure the release of the victims of the latest abduction by bandits in the state.
In a statement by his spokesman, Yusuf Gusau, on Monday, he condemned the attack on the College of Agriculture and Animal Science, Bakura.
The government had earlier confirmed that 15 students and four staff of the institution were kidnapped when the assailants invaded the school on Sunday night.
“Governor Matawalle who is seriously saddened with the resurgence of school abduction in the state by recalcitrant bandits is, however, thankful to God for the prompt response of the security agencies to the school to reinforce the already stationed security at the school which also led to the successful rescue of three out of the four abducted staff of the institution,” the statement said.
“The governor directed the security operatives in the state to intensify efforts and rescue all the abductees, promising to do everything humanly possible to rescue them unhurt.”
According to Governor Matawalle, the state government has continued to strengthen efforts of providing security to all schools across the state since the abduction of the schoolgirls in Jangebe.
He commended the immediate action of the security agencies to launch search and rescue strategies to ensure the safe return of the abducted students and staff still in captivity.
The governor appealed to residents of the state to remain calm, saying the government was taking all the necessary steps to restore normalcy in the area.
He, however, urged inhabitants to cooperate with the security agencies deployed in the area by providing them with useful information that could lead to the rescue of the victims.
Governor Matawalle also called on the people to intensify prayers for an end to all criminal activities in the state and the nation at large.
He extended his condolences to families of those killed by the bandits, including a policeman and two civilian security guards, during the attack.
The governor assured the parents of the abducted students that his government would intensify efforts to rescue them and prayed for the repose of those killed by the bandits.
