Tobias Sylvester
Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari has revealed the location of students who were kidnapped from Government Science Secondary School in Kankara.
KanyiDaily had reported how hundreds of GSS boarding students were abducted by gunmen on Friday night, December 11, 2020, less than 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari arrived Katsina for a week long private visit.
While answering questions on BBC Hausa Wednesday night, Governor Masari revealed that he got information that the students were taken to Zamfara forest.
“They kidnapped schoolboys are in Zamfara forests, we have got the information,” he said.
Also speaking during an interview with Channels Television, the governor denied report that two of the abducted students had been killed.
“It is not true that two students died. I was in school on Saturday and interacted with some of the students who escaped. They did not say any student died,” he said.
“I also interacted with the two students who also escaped later; they did not tell me any of the abducted students died or were killed. The news of the death was speculative. The number of students we have yet to account for is 334, although some students have gone to their parents directly.
Governor Masari also revealed that his administration is in discussions with the suspected abductors through the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN).
“We are discussing through the leadership of MACBAN, Miyetti Allah with those suspected to have carried out the abduction and I had a meeting with the Commissioner of Police and heads of security agencies two or three hours ago,” he said.
“There are talks. It is not about who is in charge, but what is of paramount concern to me as the chief security officer of the state is that these students return home safely and this is what we are talking about.
“It is natural for patents to be angry, but I as the state governor, I will answer for my deeds here and beyond. So, I am more concerned about the rescue of the children and safety of people of the state.”
KanyiDaily had earlier reported that Governor Masari insisted that the missing students were abducted by local bandits known to them, contrary to the claim of Boko Haram.
On Tuesday, Boko Haram terrorist group had claimed responsibility for the abduction, saying the action was carried out to ‘promote Islam and discourage un-Islamic practices’.
