Bandits have kidnapped 312 students and a principal, Abubakar Isah when they attacked the LEA Primary and Junior Secondary School, Kuriga in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Thursday.
Officials of the school and community leaders revealed this to Governor Uba Sani, who visited the school alongside key government officials on Thursday.
They said 187 students were abducted from the secondary school while 125 pupils were seized from the primary school.
A teacher, Sani Abdullahi escaped the gunmen, he said 25 of the pupils from the primary had returned, adding that 287 students and the principal are with the bandits.
Abdullahi said at exactly 7:47am he entered the acting principal’s office to sign his attendance and suddenly gunmen 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, 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.
Governor Sani promised that all the children would 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.
He said while in the Senate, he moved the motion for the creation of state police because he realised that there were not enough boots on the ground.
He said every community like Kuriga would have representation in the police to be armed with AK47 rifles to protect the lives and property of the citizens.