Troops Close In On Bandits, Face Challenge As Abducted Children Used As Human Shields — Sources

Troops appear to be closing in on the gunmen who abducted 287 school children in Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Thursday.

But the bandits are said to be using their victims as human shield as the security men advanced on them.

The soldiers, sources said, fanned out in pursuit of the terrorists following a directive by President Bola Tinubu for the children to be rescued at all cost and the brains behind the abduction fished out.

First Lady Remi Tinubu said yesterday that kidnappers should be made to face the capital punishment.

The United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) deplored the abduction, saying schools are supposed to be sanctuaries of learning and growth, not places of fear and violence, while Amnesty International (AI) asked government to take all necessary measures to ensure the safe release and return of abductees to their families.

Sources said in Kaduna that the troops deployed in the forest for the search and rescue operations had located the position of the bandits and their victims.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, reportedly landed in Kaduna to boost the morale of the troops deployed on the rescue mission, although this could not be immediately confirmed.

The movement of the gunmen and their victims in the forest is said to be rather slow because of the large number of the children and their relatively young age.

The source said: “What we have gathered is that the bandits have not been able to go far with the abducted pupils because the children among the abductees are slowing down their movement.

“Now, the troops who went after them have sighted the bandits and the abductees, but the rescue mission is said to be difficult for now because the bandits are using the children as human shield.”

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, confirmed yesterday that the President had already met with and received briefings from security chiefs on the matter and pledged that the victims of both incidents would soon be rescued.

Ngelale quoted his principal as condemning the heinous incidents of abduction, involving very vulnerable victims; internally-displaced persons in Borno State, and students in Kaduna State.

“The President directs security and intelligence agencies to immediately rescue the victims and ensure that justice is served against the perpetrators of these abominable acts,” he said.

“The President sympathises with the families of the victims, assuring them that they would soon be reunited with their loved ones,” he added.

The President, who vowed that the criminal elements behind the abductions would not escape justice, however said only the rescue of the victims would be acceptable to him and the loved ones of the victims.

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani visited Kuriga on Thursday evening and assured the community that everyone of the abducted children is like his own child, hence he would do everything possible to ensure all of them return home unhurt.

He said: “In my capacity as your elected governor, I am assuring you that by the grace of God, all the children will return unhurt. We will do whatever we needs to do to ensure safe return of these children, even if it means coming to Kuriga to stay with you.

“Since I received the sad news of this incident, I have not had rest of mind because every child in Kaduna State is my child. So, I don’t want to you people to be disturbed. Let us pray to God to help, and on our part as a government, we will not rest until these children return home.”