Katsina Abduction: Buhari Laments ‘Heart-breaking’ Incident

President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the attack carried out by bandits at the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State.

Armed men on Friday night had invaded Government Science Secondary School in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, northwest Nigeria and kidnapped dozens of students.

The attack on the school and environs started at about 11: pm and lasted for over two hours. An undisclosed number of students and residents of the town were declared missing after the raid, multiple reports say.

The incident happened two days after armed groups kidnapped a village head and 20 other civilians in Gamji village Sabuwal Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The attack also happened barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu arrived in the state for a week-long private visit.

Buhari described the incident as “cowardly”, charging security agencies to go after the attackers to ensure that no student gets missing or harmed.

Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Saturday, he urged the school authorities to carry out an audit of the population of the students following shootings in and around the school that sent hundreds of them fleeing and scrambling over perimeter walls.

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He also advised parents who rushed to evacuate their children and wards from the school to notify the school and police authorities in order to have a full account of the school population.

“I strongly condemn the cowardly bandits’ attack on innocent children at the Science School, Kankara.

”Our prayers are with the families of the students, the school authorities and the injured,”he added.

Buhari pledged to continue to support the police and military in their struggle against terrorists and bandits.

Shehu, said that the president had also received briefings on the incident from Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State, as well as the Army Chief of Staff,  Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.

According to him, the military, supported by air power, has located the bandits’ enclave at Zango/Paula forest in Kankara, and there have been exchange of fire in an ongoing operation.

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”Police said so far, there has not been  any reported students casualty.”

Shehu also quoted president Buhari to have directed the reinforcement of security of all schools in line with the safe schools policy of the administration.

The incident which had drew national outrage happened when the terror gang invaded the school on foot, unlike previous attacks in which they carried out similar attacks using motorbikes.

Narrating how the Katsina abduction incident happened, a police source said; “the group walked confidently into the school premises and kidnapped an undisclosed number of students”.

“As I speak to you now, no one can tell you the exact number of the students that were abducted and in the custody of the armed men.

“They (gunmen) shot our colleague and the gateman too but they are all alive receiving treatment now,” he added.

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Eyewitnesses revealed that the terrorists stormed the school numbering about a hundred around 10 – 11 pm, forcing many students to run into the bush seeking help.