The United Nations has described the abduction of over 300 schoolgirls from Jangebe in Zamfara State by suspected bandits, as a “heinous violation of human rights”.

The global body also said the abducted schoolgirls must be released “immediately and unconditionally”.

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, made this known in a statement on Friday.

“I am appalled by the abduction of more than 300 girls during an attack on a secondary school in Nigeria today.

“Attacks on schools are a heinous violation of human rights. The girls must be released to their families immediately and unconditionally,” he tweeted.

The rate of mass abduction of students by bandits in the northern part of Nigeria has become alarming in recent times. Just a week ago, bandits kidnapped dozens of students and workers of Government Science College in Kagara, Niger State.

Bandits had also last year kidnapped over 300 schoolboys from Government Science Secondary School in Kankara, Katsina State. Aside from Kankara and Kagara, non-state actors had also abducted hundreds of secondary school girls from Chibok, in Borno State; and Dapchi in Yobe State.

Earlier on Friday, Nigeria’s President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), said the security forces have not moved against bandits in the country because of the fear of “heavy casualties of innocent villagers and hostages” that might be suffered in such operations.

He, however, warned the bandits not to mistake his regime’s restraint for the humanitarian goals of protecting innocent lives as a weakness, adding that no group was too strong to be defeated by government.

Buhari has come under fire lately over his body language which some sections of the country perceived to be emboldening bandits terrorising the northern parts of the country.