FGC Birnin Yauri Students, Staff Regain Freedom After 118 Days With Bandits

School Students and Members of staff of Federal Government College (FGC), Birnin Yauri, in Kebbi State, have reportedly regained their freedom from their abductors.

Naija News recalls that over 90 students and staff of the government school were abducted in June 2021.

The terrorist bandits numbering about 150, reportedly invaded the college shooting sporadically, whisking away to an unknown location the individuals after exchanging fire with security operatives.

Subsequently, a special adviser to Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State, Rabiu Kamba, confirmed in a statement that a teacher and eight students out of the victims abducted by the bandits at FGC Birnin Yauri have been rescued.

Kamba while speaking on the development said the abductees rescued are in the custody of the military.

Reacting to the disturbing attack on schools in the state, Kebbi State Government announced the indefinite shut down of seven schools.

Speaking with newsmen during a press conference, the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in Kebbi, Isah Arzika, confirmed that the government had directed all school principals to close any school which they believed were not safe.

Arzika also disclosed that police and vigilantes had also been deployed to the schools for monitoring and protection. He said: “On these proactive measures, as you all know, we are part of the system because Principals are teachers, all the Directors at the Board are also teachers. It is the decision that we all took that is affecting us.

“Government has given us an order and option to take any necessary action as far as our schools are concerned. That we can close those schools which we think are not safe and prone to attacks in the areas close to the forest.”

However, after 118 days of the students and staff with the terrorist group, a father of one of the kidnapped students reportedly confirmed to Daily Trust hours ago that the students have been released.