The 279 schoolgirls of the Government Secondary School Jangebe, Zamfara State, who were abducted by bandits on Friday, February 26, 2021, were reunited with their relatives on Wednesday.
While handing them over to their guardians, an angry mob descended on the crowd, causing security operatives to fire warning shots in the air.
Owing to this incident, the State government initiated a 24-hour curfew in the town to prevent a further breach of peace.
One person was allegedly shot by security operatives who fired when the angry mob was protesting at the scene of the formal handing over of the victims to their guardians.
Sulaiman Tunar Anka, the Commissioner for information signed the statement enforcing the curfew.
The statement read: “Sequel to an unfortunate civil disobedience that took place at Jangebe town after the return of the released abducted school children, the Zamfara State Government has approved the imposition of a dusk to dawn curfew at Jangebe town starting from Wednesday, 3/3/2021. This is to prevent any further breach of peace. Similarly, there is strong discovered evidence of market activities in the town that aid and abet bandits activities in the town and neighboring communities. Consequently, all market activities in the town are hereby suspended until further notice.
The state government is poised to ensure the safety of lives and properties of its citizens at all costs. With this announcement, the Zamfara State Police Command is hereby enjoined to ensure total enforcement.”
Also, the State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has revealed that those who kidnapped the schoolgirls are of Hausa and Fulani ethnicity.
He said: “They say most of them are Hausa and some of them are Fulani. In fact, they even asked the school children to pray for them. So, they say they are of different entities contrary to the thought that they are all Fulani. Some reporters have interviewed some of the girls who have identified some of these guys (kidnappers). In fact, one of the girls told us that she knows one of them who is Hausa, and used to come to Jangebe market. She promised that any time he comes to Jangebe market she will be able to identify him and point him out to the security.”
