Mohammad Adamu, the inspector-general of police (IGP), has deployed two surveillance helicopters in an operation to rescue schoolgirls abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara state.
Gunmen had invaded the school in the early hours of Friday, abducting 317 schoolgirls.
The deployment of the helicopters, the police said, was in addition to the personnel of operation Puff Adder II earlier deployed to the state.
“Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have commenced a coordinated search and rescue operation, involving the deployment of both ground and aerial assets, aimed at locating and rescuing the students of Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara state, abducted in the early hours of Friday, 25th February, 2021,” the statement read.
“To ensure the success of the ongoing operation, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has ordered the immediate deployment of two (2) operational surveillance helicopters to Zamfara state.
“This is in addition to the personnel of Operation Puff Adder II earlier deployed to the State to support efforts by the Command to combat banditry, kidnapping and other related crimes.
“The IGP, while condemning the barbaric and callous abduction of the innocent female students, has assured that the Police and other security forces will not relent until the abducted students are successfully rescued and reunited with their families.”
The police said the rescue operation is being carried out alongside the military and other members of the law enforcement community with support from the state government and other stakeholders.
The IGP also called for calm and enjoined members of the public, particularly the people of Zamfara state, not to hesitate in availing the police with useful information that can assist in the rescue of the abducted schoolgirls.
