Families wait as Nigerian security forces search for 300 abducted girls

By Seun Sanni and Afolabi Sotunde
GUSAU, Nigeria, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Relatives of more than
300 girls abducted by gunmen from their boarding school in
northwest Nigeria endured an agonising wait for news amid
rumours that they had been released, while security forces
continued their search on Sunday.
An armed gang kidnapped 317 girls from the Government Girls
Science Secondary School in the town of Jangebe, in Zamfara
state, at around 1 a.m. on Friday. Two Reuters' correspondents saw a heavy military presence in
state capital Gusau on Sunday, with army trucks moving in convoy
and police checkpoints on major roads.
Zamfara police have worked alongside the army in a
search-and-rescue operation since Friday.
The raid in Zamfara state was the second such kidnapping in
little over a week in the northwest of the country, where
schools have become targets for mass kidnappings for ransom.
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday urged state
governments not to reward "bandits" with money or vehicles.
School kidnappings were first carried out by jihadist groups
Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province but the tactic
has now been adopted by other militants whose agenda is unclear.
On Saturday, gunmen released 27 teenage boys who had been
kidnapped from their school on Feb. 17 in neighbouring Niger
state.
Parents in Zamfara are hopeful that they too will receive
good news.
Balarabe Kagara, whose two 14-year-old daughters are among
those taken, said he was praying for their safe return and
remained hopeful.
"I will be very happy if I see my daughters," the
54-year-old farmer said, his voice cracking with emotion, while
sitting on a mattress on the floor and gazing at pictures of the
two girls.
Rumours circulated on social media on Sunday that the girls
had been released. They prompted Zamfara state government to
issue a statement in which it said the governor Bello Matawalle
was unhappy that someone would "try to further hurt the victims'
parents" with "falsehood".
Abubakar Isa, whose 17-year-old daughter is among those
missing, said his hopes and those of other parents were
initially lifted by the rumour.
"We heard that they will be released today, so we gathered
at the school premises to receive them but it turned out to be
rumours," he told Reuters by telephone.
Isa said Saturday's release of the boys taken in Niger gave
him hope, but he remained fearful of the gunmen's motives.
On Friday, Zamfara's governor ordered all boarding schools
to close immediately.
At his home in Gusau, Kagara said he was unsure about
whether children would eventually return to school.
"If there is enough security, I believe people will return
their children to school," he said. "But if there is no
security, nobody will think of taking their children to school
again."