LAGOS: Nigerian police confirmed on Monday that 16 persons were kidnapped after a group of unidentified gunmen attacked a college in northwest Nigeria’s Zamfara state.

Mohammed Shehu, a police spokesperson in Zamfara, told Xinhua in a telephonic conversation that gunmen in large numbers invaded the College of Agriculture and Animal Sciences in the Bakura area of the state in the wee hours of Monday, but were confronted by security personnel deployed to the  college.

“Unfortunately, a police inspector and two other civilian guards lost their lives while 15 students and four staff were taken away by the bandits,” the spokesperson said.

Shehu said the police operatives while on extensive bush combing at the surrounding areas rescued three of the staff who will be medically examined before being reunited with their families.

He said the police were working with other security forces to track down the kidnappers and rescue the 15 students and one staff still in captivity. (Xinhua)