NIGER: Gov Bello travels abroad amid students’ abduction, killing of 15 villagers in Beri

GOVERNOR Abubakar Sani Bello has flown out of the country hours after an unspecified number of children were abducted from an Islammiya School in Tegina, and about 15 villagers were reported killed in an attack on Beri town in the Bobi district of Mariga Local Government.

Suspected bandits had at the weekend invaded the school in Tegina and abducted the students.

The whereabouts of the victims have been unknown as the bandits have not contacted their family.

In a statement today, Mary Noel-Berje, Chief Press Secretary to Bello, said the governor left the country on a “security mission.”

She continued that the governor, had, “however, given directives to the security operatives and state government officials to do all they can towards ensuring the safe return of the abducted Tegina Islamiyya children and others.

“The Governor, who is expected back in the country within the shortest period of time, has assured the rescue and safe return of the children,” she said.

While assuring the parents of the abducted children of their safe return, the governor urged citizens to cooperate and share intelligence that will help in the quick rescue of the children.

Bello also directed that a situation room be reactivated to update the public.

In the Beri town attack, a mobile policeman was also reportedly killed while the men of the local vigilante were able to kill five of the bandits.

It was gathered that the Beri Police Station was burnt by the bandits with several people reported to have been injured during the stampede that accompanied the arson on the police station.