The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has condemned the abduction of some students from Bethel Baptist High School, Damishi, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Guterres’s spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, disclosed this while briefing correspondents on Tuesday at the UN headquarters in New York.

Dujarric said that Guterres condemned the kidnapping of the students.

Dujarric said: “I can tell you that the Secretary-General strongly condemns the abduction of students from the Bethel Baptist School as well as hospital employees in two separate incidents in Kaduna State on July 5.

“The Secretary-General is disturbed by the frequency of kidnapping for ransom of predominantly children from schools by extremist groups and criminal networks.”

According to Dujarric, Guterres underscores the need to bring perpetrators of the grave human rights violations to account and also enhance the safety and security of schools and educational facilities.

Recall that bandits stormed the boarding school in the early hours of Monday, July 5, and abducted students.

154 students were in school at the time of the abduction. Authorities said 28 students were rescued from the bandits. 121 students are still in the bandits’ custody. No explanation has been given on the remaining five students.