The Niger state government is mobilising a local vigilante group to join in efforts to rescue dozens of children abducted from the Government Science College, Kagara.
Our reporter on the ground at Rafi local government area, where the school is located, observed that more than 50 members of the local vigilante group were joining the rescue efforts.
As of Thursday evening, they were being sent to nearby forests where it was gathered the children were taken to.
Gunmen suspected to be bandits had attacked the school during an operation that lasted for about three hours on Wednesday morning.
At least 41 people — including 27 students and nine of their family members who are mostly children — were taken hostage by the attackers.
There were, however, a few staff members and parents of the victims waiting in anticipation for good news regarding the development.
The local vigilante group will join a team of security agencies that have been deployed to the state.
The Nigeria police force also deployed an additional team of special forces to the state on Thursday.
Bashir Magashi, minister of defence, had promised that the government will secure a swift and safe release of the schoolchildren — but it has been 36 hours since the attack took place.
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