In mid-February, gunmen in military uniforms raided the college, killing one student and taking 42 others — including 27 schoolboys, three teachers and other relatives of school staff, officials said. Northwest and central Nigeria have seen a surge in attacks by heavily armed criminal gangs locally known as "bandits" who raid villages, killing and abducting residents after looting and torching homes. The situation in Jangebe was tense as local people vented their anger on journalists, security personnel and officials who arrived in the village. "This administration will not succumb to blackmail by bandits who target innocent school students in the expectations of huge ransom payments," he said in a statement on Friday. "Our primary objective is to get the hostages safe, alive and unharmed," he added.

Source: The Hindu February 27, 2021 11:37 UTC