Tobias Sylvester
President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to release of over 300 students who were abducted from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina state.
KanyiDaily had reported how hundreds of GSS boading schoolboys 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.
On Thursday night, December 17, 2020. Katsina State Government announced that about 340 Kankara students have been released after six day in the kidnappers’ den.
Reacting in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President said that the release of the students shows that the Nigerian armed forces know their job.
He commended all those involved in the release of the students, saying his administration would do its best to secure the release of those held against their will across the country.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has welcomed release of kidnapped students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, describing their safe return as a big relief to their families, the entire country and international community.
“In a short remark shortly after their release was announced, President Buhari expressed the nation’s appreciation for the steps taken by all involved to make their release possible.
“President Buhari specifically cited what he called the “spirit of partnership and the collaborative efforts of the government of Katsina, Zamfara and military leading to the release.’’
“He commended the nation’s intelligence agencies, the military and police force for providing the environment for safe release of the hostages.
“The Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, and the army worked extremely hard. As soon as I got the information I congratulated them. The Armed Forces know their job. They have been well trained and properly motivated.”
On the issue of detainees held elsewhere in the country by either terrorists or bandits, the President assured Nigerians that his administration is aware of its responsibility to protect the life and property of the Nigerians.
Buhari also urged Nigerians to be patient and fair to his administration noting that his administration was fully aware that it was elected to resolve challenges.
“When we came, we made efforts that yielded the return of the Chibok Girls. When a similar incident of school abduction happened at Dapchi, we successfully returned all but one of the more than one hundred abductees. When this latest incident happened, we put in our efforts and today we have this result to show.”
The president, therefore, prayed for the full recovery of the students, whom he said had endured significant hardships in the course of their six-day ordeal.
He also assured Nigerians of the determination of his administration to return to safety all citizens held against their will across the country.
KanyiDaily recalls that President Buhari, who is currently in Daura, had rejected calls to visit the attacked Kankara school, instead he sent a delegation from Abuja to visit the school and sympathise with the families of the victims last Sunday.
