The Nigerian Police Force has dismissed reports in the news that female students were abducted by gunmen from a secondary school in restive Zamfara state.
Police spokesperson in Zamfara, SP Mohammed Shehu, said
DPO stationed at Zurmi received a distress call on 1 May at about 21:30 hrs call that unidentified number of armed men entered into Government Girls Secondary School Moriki in Zurmi LGA through the back fence of the school with intentions to attack the school and abduct students.
He explained that on the spur of the moment, a combined team of PMF/CTU/ and Civilian JTF personnel headed by the DPO mobilised to the school who confronted the armed men and stopped them from gaining access to the students hostels before the gunmen took a retreat back to the bush.
“No student was abducted as earlier reported by some media. However, two 2 caterers and three 3 of their children were later discovered missing,” SP Shehu said in a statement.
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“The police is collaborating with the school authority to establish the whereabout of the missing persons.
“To this end, a search and rescue operation team has been dispatched to the surrounding bushes for an extensive bush combing.
“Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in the school and its environment to forestall further happening,” he said.
He added that Zamfara Commissioner of Police has urged members of the public to be very vigilant and report any suspicious character to the police for prompt response.
