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UPDATE: Bandits Storm Zamfara School, Kidnap Over 300 Female Pupils

February 26, 2021

A resident in Kawaye village who confirmed the development to SaharaReporters said his daughters, Mansura and Sakina were among those abducted.

Gunmen have kidnapped over 300 schoolgirls at the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in the Talata Mafara Local Government area of Zamfara State.

The gunmen, believed to be bandits, struck the school on Friday morning.

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The gunmen were said to have arrived the school around 1am and loaded the girls in buses.

A resident in Kawaye village identified as Seidu Muhammadu who confirmed the development to SaharaReporters said his daughters, Mansura and Sakina were among those abducted.

"I'm on my way to Jangebe now to see the situation myself. I was told they invaded the school around 1am," he said.

 SaharaReporters learnt that the bandits arrived around 1 am with buses and motorcycles, which were used to take the pupils away. 

A source said the bandits, some whom appeared like security agents, were in the school for a long time without being challenged by any security outfit. [story_link align="left"]90730[/story_link]

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Shehu, told journalists that he was on his way to the school and would "brief the press later". 

The Zamfara incident comes a week after gunmen struck the Government Secondary School in Kagara, Niger State, abducting school pupils, teachers and workers, who have yet to be rescued as of Friday.

On December 11, 2020, 344 secondary schoolboys were also abducted from Kankara in Katsina, the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari, while he was there.

Hundreds of schoolgirls were also kidnapped in Chibok in 2014 by Boko Haram, some of whom have not been released till date.

In February 2018, 110 schoolgirls were also abducted by Boko Haram from the Government Girls' Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State. Five died in the process while others were later released, except Leah Sharibu, a Christian girl who refused to renounce her faith.