The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has denounced the kidnapping of students and staff of St. Mary’s School in Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.

The forum also urged prompt, firm, and well-coordinated efforts by security operatives to secure the safe return of the abducted children and to avert future incidents.

The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, made this known in a statement issued by his media aide, Ismaila Uba-Misilli, on Friday in Gombe.

Yahaya described the situation as troubling and intolerable.

He said the assault was an attack on the safety of children, stressing that educational institutions must remain places for learning, not zones of violence.

The governor added that northern Nigeria could not endure further hindrances in its joint effort to reduce the number of out-of-school children and reintegrate them into the classroom.

“As a forum, we have consistently maintained that schools must remain sanctuaries of learning and growth, not theatres of fear, violence or terror.

“Northern Nigeria already contends with significant challenges and educational setbacks, and we cannot allow criminal elements to derail our collective efforts at returning out-of-school children back into the classroom,” he said.

Yahaya disclosed that governors from the north would not fold their arms and watch criminal elements undermine their efforts and instil fear in young learners and the region in general.

He outlined that the forum was particularly worried, especially at a time when governments across the north were investing heavily in creating safe, conducive and resilient learning environments.

“The rising trend of attacks on schools is worrisome and saddening.

“As governors, we will continue to work closely with the security agencies and all relevant stakeholders to strengthen intelligence gathering, enhance community vigilance and reinforce the protection of our schools.

“Gov. Inuwa Yahaya, on behalf of the forum, conveyed his heartfelt sympathy to the parents of the abducted pupils, the school authorities and the government of Niger State, the ordeal is heart-breaking and deeply troubling,” he said.

Yahaya commended the ongoing search-and-rescue efforts and urged security agencies to intensify operations with utmost urgency.

The governir also urged the people to be calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing information that may aid rescue efforts.