At least 312 students and a principal, Abubakar Isah were abducted in broad day light on Thursday when bandits invaded the LEA Primary and Junior Secondary School, Kuriga in Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna
State.
Officials of the school and community leaders told Governor Uba Sani, alongside key government officials, who visited the school on Thursday that 187 students were abducted from the secondary school section and 125 from the primary school section.
One of the teachers, Sani Abdullahi who escaped the abduction along others, said 25 of the pupils from the primary
section have returned. This, he said, leaves 287 students and the principal in custody of the bandits.
Abdullahi told the Governor that at exactly 7:47am, he entered the acting Principal’s office to sign his attendance when all of a sudden, the bandits surrounded the school premises.
“We became confused. We didn’t know where to go. Then, the bandits asked us to enter the bush, so we obeyed them because there were many of them, and the pupils, who are about 700 were following us. So, when we entered the bush, I was lucky to escape alongside many other people.
“So, I returned to the village and reported what happened to the community. So, immediately our vigilantes and personnel of the Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KADVS) followed the bandits, but the vigilantes did not succeed.
In fact, the bandits killed one of the vigilantes; we just buried him a short while ago,” he said.
Responding, Governor Sani said all the children will return soon.
“Before coming here, I spoke with the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, and we are making efforts. The security forces have swung into action, and by God’s grace, we will rescue the children,” the governor said.
“We will do whatever we need to do to ensure the safe return of these children, even if it means coming to Kuriga to stay with you. The essence of government is the protection of citizens’ lives and property. We recognise the fact that we are holding this position in trust for the people, and by God’s grace, we will protect the citizens’ rights,” he said.
“I am one of the prominent voices on the issue of security. When I was in the Senate, I moved the motion for the creation of State Police.
“We have realised that there are not enough boots on ground, that is why we feel that if there is State Police, every community like Kuriga will have people in the Police and they would be armed with AK-47 rifles. That is the only way we would be able to protect the lives and property of the citizens. The vigilantes are not as armed as the bandits, because they don’t have AK-47, that is why the bandits are constantly causing us distractions. They come in to humiliate, kill and abduct our citizens.
“Since I received the sad news of this incident, I have not had rest of mind because every child in Kaduna State is my child. So, I don’t want you people to be disturbed. Let us pray to God to help and on our part as a government, we will not rest until these children return home. We are going to select seven people from this community, who will be part of a committee, where we would be having discussions.”
The Governor also promised to establish a Police Station and military camp in the community.
Kaduna State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, said that Police officers and soldiers were trailing the abductors to rescue the victims.
@Daily Trust
