Bandits have attacked a boarding secondary school in Kandara, Katsina, the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari, abducting 54 male students.
The bandits were reported to have invaded Government Science Secondary School, at 10pm on Friday, December 11, 2020, the day President Buhari arrived in his home for a week-long rest.
The incident has forced the remaining students, who survived the invasion, to vacate the school in the night.
Sources revealed that the school had 884 students but 54 are missing after the invasion by the bandits who were riding on motorcycles.
One of the police officers manning the school gate is currently receiving treatment at Kankara General Hospital.
The bandits are reported to have also invaded the staff quarters and abducted an elderly woman.
Governor Aminu Bello Masari, who visited the school on Saturday ordered for the immediate closure of all boarding secondary schools in the state.
The governor met with the school officials, some parents, traditional and religious leaders as well as security personnel in the area.
Masari pleaded for patience while giving an assurance that the government will do every thing possible to secure the release of all the abducted students.
Sporadic shooting
He said already, security forces, comprising the military, the police and the Department of State Security have swung into action and are on the trail of the abductors.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of Katsina state police command, Mr Gambo Isah, confirmed the incident but explained that the attack was repelled.
“Yesterday, at about 9:40pm, bandits in their numbers, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles, attacked GSSS Kankara, Kankara Local Government Area.
“The policemen on duty responded to the attack and engaged the attackers in a gun fight which gave the students opportunity to scale the fence of the school and run for safety.
“The DPO Kankara, reinforced the policemen on duty with Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) which forced the hoodlums to retreat into the forest.” Isah said.
The PPRO said that the police command was working with other security agencies and the school authorities to ascertain if students were missing following the attack.
Isah said that more 200 students who ran into the town for their safety during the attack had returned to the school on Saturday morning.
He revealed that a police Inspector sustained a gunshot wound during the incident, and was taken to the hospital where he is responding well to treatment.
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