The Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, has urged Nigerians to be calm amid the unrest that followed the abduction of 317 schoolgirls on Friday morning.
The 317 female students were abducted from Government Day Secondary School, Jangebe at Talata Mafara Local Government Area in Zamfara State.
The abduction has caused tension over an increasing spate of school attacks as discussions are still ongoing for the release of the 42 abducted students and staff of Government Service College, Kagara, Niger State abducted on February 17.
Reacting to the abduction in a statement on Friday, Mr Adamu made public the efforts of the Police to rescue the girls.
The statement said the Police have commenced coordinated search and rescue operations for the abducted girls.
It also disclosed that it has deployed two surveillance helicopters and a joint rescue operation consisting of the police, military and members of the law enforcement community to secure the release.
Here’s the statement:
POLICE COMMENCE COORDINATED SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS FOR ABDUCTED ZAMFARA SCHOOL GIRLS
Deploy 2 Surveillance Helicopters.
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have commenced a coordinated search and rescue operation, involving the deployment of both ground and aerial assets, aimed at locating and rescuing the students of Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara State, abducted in the early hours of Friday, 25th February, 2021.
To ensure the success of the ongoing operation, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has ordered the immediate deployment of two (2) operational surveillance helicopters to Zamfara State.
This is in addition to the personnel of Operation Puff Adder II earlier deployed to the State to support efforts by the Command to combat banditry, kidnapping and other related crimes.
The IGP, while condemning the barbaric and callous abduction of the innocent female students, has assured that the Police and other security forces will not relent until the abducted students are successfully rescued and reunited with their families.
The joint rescue operation is being carried out by the Police, the Military and other members of the law enforcement community with support from the State Government and other Stakeholders.
The IGP has called for calm and enjoins members of the public, particularly the people of Zamfara State, not to hesitate in availing the Police and the law enforcement community with useful information that can assist in the rescue of the abducted school girls.
