The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, made this known following the protests by parents of the students at the main gate of the National Assembly complex in Abuja on Tuesday.

The protesters led by Abdullahi Usman told journalists they wanted the lawmakers to prevail on security agencies to rescue their children.

Usman partly said, “Now, they have spent 55 days in captivity and we are still counting. There is no hope. Kaduna State Government said they cannot do anything. Even the Ministry of Environment, which supervises the team, is not doing anything.”

A parent of one of the kidnapped students, Rabbi Zacharia Maggaji said, “Please, I want to talk to my son; he is the only person I have. It is me that has been training him. I don’t have a husband. I want to see my son; let the government help me.”

About 30 minutes into the plenary on Tuesday, Gbajabiamila asked the Security Committee to go and address the protesters.

When the delegation led by Hon Babajimi Benson, Chairman, Defence Committee returned about 45 minutes after, the Speaker asked for feedback.

Benson said, “The parents feel that the Nigerian state has abandoned them. They have not eaten for two days; they all wore black, they don’t have hope. The only hope they have is the parliament. They have sent us to you, Mr Speaker. They have asked us to please, plead with you to ensure that their plights over their missing kids are immediately addressed. Their kids have been missing for 55 days. They were also so concerned that in their depression, they also asked that we speak on behalf of the kids that were abducted from Greenfield University as well.”

Responding, Gbajabiamila said, “The special committee, in the meantime, will look into it and liaise with all relevant authorities, including the state government in Kaduna, on how to deal with this matter.”

An eyewitness told BBC that half of the female students were taken but not a single male was abducted.

Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, has confirmed the incident saying an investigation is ongoing.

Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige who also confirmed the incident told Daily Trust that the exact number of students abducted is unknown.

Jalige said, “They were abducted last night, we have no details of the number of students.”