Kaduna Kidnap: We’re Combing Bushes To Rescue Them – Police

Bandits yesterday attacked LEA primary school at Kuriga community in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, shooting a pupil and abducting over 200 others and teachers.

The latest abduction came barely twenty-four hours after Boko Haram insurgents kdnapped 300 women in Borno State and set ablaze their internally displaced persons’ (IDPs) camp.

According to a local who craved anonymity, the incident happened at about 8. 30 am as the pupils were about to conclude the morning assembly.

The local, who craved anonymity, said the bandits came from different parts of the village and encircled the school premises.

“The bandits kidnapped over 200, both primary school pupils and secondary students. The secondary school students were moved from a location outside the community to the primary school due to the fear of bandits’ attack.

“They also went away with a teacher, named Isa. They shot one student, identified simply as Rabilu, who was rushed to Birnin Gwari hospital. He survived.

“They (bandits) gathered all the children and forced them to move towards the North Eastern part of the community, on foot.

Meanwhile, an official of the state government confirmed the incident to journalists and assured that a statement would soon be issued.

Mansir Hassan, spokesperson of Kaduna State police command, confirmed the incident but did not give detail.

“I’m attending a security meeting but the police tactical team has been deployed to go after the criminals by combing the bushes to rescue the victims,” he said.

Reacting to the attack, former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, in his X (former Twitter) said: “It’s tragic to hear that 232 students have just been kidnapped in Kuriga village,Chikun LG in Kaduna State.

”It’s the same village where a school principal, Idris Sufyan, was killed and his wife kidnapped over a month ago. However, I’m optimistic their freedom will be secured.”

Reacll that the federal government came up with the Safe Schools Initiative to stave off further invasion of schools and kidnap of pupils’students.

The project came into being after the global outcry that followed the abduction of students of Government Girls College in Chibok, Borno State in 2014.