By Garba Muhammad
KADUNA, Nigeria, April 21 (Reuters) - Kidnappers killed one
person and took an unknown number of students from a university
in northwest Nigeria's restive Kaduna state, police said on
Wednesday, in the latest in a series of abductions at
educational institutes.
Armed groups have repeatedly struck northern Nigerian
schools and universities since December, abducting more than 700
students for ransom.
The government and security forces have largely been unable
to stop the attacks as they struggle to contain worsening
violence and criminality across the West African country.
The armed kidnappers came on foot and struck Greenfield
University in Kaduna at around 8.15 p.m. (1915 GMT) on Tuesday,
state police spokesman Mohammed Jalige said by telephone.
"One of the staff of the university was shot dead, but the
number of students abducted is not yet ascertained," said
Jalige, adding that police should know the number later on
Wednesday.
A university staff member, speaking on condition of
anonymity, said the kidnappers had seized 17 male students.
Greenfield University could not immediately be reached for
comment.
The abduction of hundreds of students since December has
mainly hit northwestern Nigeria and drawn global attention to
the country's deteriorating security situation.
Kidnap for ransom has become common in the region in recent
years. President Muhammadu Buhari urged state governments in
February to "review their policy of rewarding bandits with money
and vehicles, warning that the policy might boomerang
disastrously." In March, attackers stormed a forestry college in Kaduna,
seizing dozens of students despite the compound's proximity to a
military academy. After over a month in captivity, kidnappers released 10 of
the college's students for a ransom of 17 million naira
($44,620), said Abdullahi Usman, a parent of one of those still
being held. Reuters was unable to verify the alleged ransom
payment.
($1 = 381.0000 naira)
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