Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, military action is still on despite talks with the bandits by the state governor, Aminu Masari.
The Defence Headquarters, on Monday, says there is hope in the ongoing rescue operations of 333 schoolboys abducted by bandits from Government Science School, Kankara, Katsina State.
According to the Defence Spokesman, “You don’t stop whatever efforts you are putting up militarily for what we call the non-kinetic (or) the other approach. No, you don’t stop, all of them go concurrently.
“For instance, if they (the students) are kept in a place that is known, if you relax, they will slip out. So, all actions are on the table to ensure that we come to a meeting point and the meeting point is to ensure that we don’t get collateral damage in our efforts to get them (the students) out.”
Masari, had on Monday while briefing President Muhammadu Buhari in his country home of Daura, said the bandits have contacted his government and discussions were on pertaining to the safe return of the students.
Eneche added that “the troops and other security agencies have been adequately deployed to ensure that they (the students) are rescued alive, that is the most important thing for us. And that is what we have for the general public that there is hope, we need them out alive.”
Bandits had stormed the school on Friday night and abducted the students after a gun duel with the police. The President had arrived in the state on Friday, hours before the abduction took place.
