The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), says the military forces in the country are well-armed but they need local intelligence to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

The President stated this on Saturday, according to a statement by his spokesman, Garba Shehu.

Buhari also said he won’t allow terrorists and bandits to destroy the school system.

He stressed the need for the rescue of the 39 kidnapped students of Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation in the Mando Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Gunmen had last Friday stormed the school and kidnapped the students. Security forces were said to have rescued 180 of the abductees but 39 students are still in the den of the kidnappers.

Shehu, in the statement, said, “President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday issued a stern warning to would-be terrorists and bandits targeting schools, saying the country will not allow the destruction of the school system.

“President Buhari commended efforts of the Kaduna State government and early response of the military which led to the rescue of 180 students including eight staff members but urged that the others declared missing be found and returned safely to their families.

“The President also commended efforts and contributions of local intelligence in significantly thwarting the kidnappers, saying that a country which has an efficient local intelligence network is a safer country.”

“Our military may be efficient and well-armed but it needs good efforts for the nation’s defense and the local population must rise to this challenge of the moment,” the spokesman quoted the President as saying.

“President Buhari expressed sympathy with the victims of this incident and hoped for an early end to the ordeal of those still held captive,” the statement added.