Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State has accused the Federal Government of abandoning the state to its fate in efforts to rescue abducted students and staff of Government Science College, Kagara.
At least 27 students, three teachers and 12 family members were abducted by bandits who stormed the school penultimate Wednesday.
The governor, who expressed frustration when Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Uzor Kalu, paid him a sympathy visit at Government House, Minna, yesterday, said though the federal government sent a delegation to the state in the wake of the kidnap, the state government had been left to shoulder the financial responsibility alone.
He said: “The Federal Government has sent a delegation to the state and deployed additional 300 mobile policemen but the government has been left to shoulder all the financial responsibility, so where is the support.
“At the moment, we have not seen any federal support here since this incident occurred. Yes, we had a delegation that came to commiserate with us but we are left to our fate.’’
The governor, however, gave assurance that with or without the support of the Federal Government, the state government had already taken steps to rescue unhurt the abducted students, staff and their relatives in captivity.
“We will use whatever means and resources available to make sure the children return home safely,” he assured.
Governor Bello said he could not say the exact time the children would be released but ‘’I am very sure, they will be released very soon.”
Earlier, the Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Kalu, said he was in Minna to commiserate with the government and people of Niger State over the recent security challenges and the abduction of innocent school children by bandits.
Kalu called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of necessity, establish a joint security committee in the state and other troubled parts of the country to battle the bandits to a stand still.
“We sympathize with you and share in your grief at the moment because we know what you are passing through.
‘’This is why I am calling on the Federal Government to set up a joint security committee in the state to wage a total war against the bandits and defeat them, finally,’’ he said.