President Muhammadu Buhari has directed armed forces and police to ensure the safe return of students and officials abducted by gunmen who attacked Government Science College, Kagara, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State on Wednesday.

The President has also dispatched a team of security chiefs to coordinate the rescue operation.

This was disclosed in a statement signed on Wednesday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has received reports of the brazen attack on Government Science College, Kagara, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, following which a yet to be ascertained number of staff and students have been abducted by gunmen.

“Following these reports, the President has directed the Armed Forces and Police, to ensure the immediate and safe return of all the captives. The President has also dispatched to Minna, Niger State a team of security chiefs to coordinate the rescue operation and meet with state officials, community leaders, as well as parents and staff of the College,” the statement read in part.

The statement added that President Buhari has assured of the support of his administration to the Armed Forces in their brave struggle against terrorism and banditry and urged them to do all that can be done to bring an end to the attacks on schools.

“Our prayers are with families of the victims of this attack,” said the President as he condemned as cowardly the attack on innocent school children.

Schools have been the target of attacks in recent times in Nigeria.

Gunmen earlier Wednesday morning stormed Government Science College, Kagara, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State dressed in military uniform, shooting sporadically into the air.

The school principal who escaped from the attack confirmed to Channels Television that the operation started from the staff quarters where they abducted members of staff including a couple before they gained access to the students’ hostels.

Other sources say some students escaped after the raid while a headcount is being conducted at the school to ascertain the actual number of missing students.

This attack comes less than three months after scores of students were abducted from the Government Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State. They were, however, released by their kidnappers after some days.

Niger State has in the past days seen a spike in kidnapping by gunmen. A few days back, armed men attacked a bus belonging to the Niger State Transport Authority (NSTA) along Minna-Zungeru Road and abducted at least 21 passengers.

The state governor, Abubakar Bello had condemned the abduction, promising to secure the release of the passengers.

The Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, says Nigerians should not show cowardice in the face of attacks from bandits.

Major General Magashi’s comment comes a few hours after armed men attacked Government Science College Kagara in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, killing a student and abducting many others.

Speaking with newsmen after the screening of service chiefs by the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Magashi said security is not the sole responsibility of the military, adding that Nigerians must join the fight against bandits and other miscreants threatening the nation’s peace.

Magashi who does not support the calls for legalization to have civilians bear firearms in the country, however, noted that citizens need to show that they are not afraid of bandits.

“Well, is it not the responsibility of the military alone It is the responsibility of everybody to be alert and ensure safety when necessary.

“We shouldn’t be cowards. Sometimes the bandits come with about three rounds of ammunition and when they fire shots everybody will run. In our younger days, we stand to fight any form of aggression.

“Why should people run away from minor, minor aggressions? We should stand and face them. If these people know that the people have the competence and capability to defend themselves, they will run away,” the minister told newsmen.

Magashi also assured Nigerians that all abducted students would be rescued as soon as possible.

He said the service chiefs would swing into action swiftly as to track down the kidnappers and rescue those who were abducted.

According to him, the government will replicate the strategy used in freeing the Kankara schoolboys to obtain success in freeing the Kagara students and staff.

The minister said: ”We have demonstrated our ability to take on the challenge. We have done it in Katsina; when children were kidnapped. Within two days, we got them back. Hopefully, this time, we will do the same (thing) to get these captives back. We are planning.

“We have not got feedback on the activities going on in Niger State. But I am sure that before the end of the day, we will be given a full brief on what is going on in Niger State.”

The Senate on Wednesday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on insecurity in the country.

The resolution follows a motion by Senator Sani Musa on the abduction of students from the Government Science College Kagara Niger state.

Senator Bima Enagi from Niger State in his contribution, accused the President of incompetence as the security situation is worsening in the country.

He argued that the constitution should be amended to give governors more powers as they are the security officers in their states because the Federal government is incompetent in handling security.

Gunmen at about 2:00 am on Wednesday attacked the school and shot sporadically, with one student feared killed and several others abducted.

Some teachers and their family members residing within the college staff quarters were also said to have been abducted by the gunmen.

A government source who pleaded anonymity disclosed this to Channels Television via telephone conversation in the early hours of Wednesday.

The operations started from the staff quarters and ended in the students’ hostels and in the process, other students were also wounded by gunshots.

The gunmen gathered some staff and students at a place for hours before moving them out of the school premises to an unknown destination.

They wore a military uniform and entered the school premises which has about 1000 students, overpowered the security guard, before whisking away the students and staff.

A staff by the name Batagi was among those who kidnapped, others still with the bandits are Mall. Lawal, Ali, Hannatu, and her husband, Dodo, Mohammed Abubakar(Akawu), among others.

The number of persons abducted and those injured is unclear as of the time of filing the report. A headcount is being conducted at the school to ascertain the actual number of missing students.

Channels Television also learnt that the security agencies were able to detect the nature of the area, and have started tracing the attackers’ movement while the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), aircraft have been seen hovering in the air to track the location of the students.