Niger Teacher Reports Abduction of 16 Pupils by Bandits

In Niger State, a teacher named Bako recounted the abduction of 16 pupils by bandits while they were returning home from a maize harvest. After receiving information about the approaching bandits, Bako instructed the children to leave the farm, but they encountered the bandits approximately two kilometers from home.

The incident has caused significant distress within the school and community, with parents and school authorities living in fear. Bako expressed feelings of responsibility and trauma over the incident, noting that the bandits had contacted the school, mistakenly believing it was a government institution offering Western education.

The school, a community-owned Islamic institution, has received little support from local or state authorities, apart from a sympathy visit from the council chairman and the Divisional Police Officer. The Niger State Police Command has initiated a rescue operation to recover the abducted pupils.