One Killed As Bandits Abduct Over 280 School Children In Kaduna

Bandits launched an attack on LEA Primary School in Kuriga community, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, abducting of over 280 pupils.

Sani Abdullahi, a teacher from Government Secondary School Kuriga, confirmed that 287 students were missing at the attack on Thursday, March 7.

Speaking to Governor Uba Sani during his visit to the community, Abdullahi revealed that the bandits invaded the schools around 8am.

The teacher said the bandits killed a member of the Kaduna State Vigilante Service (KADVS) who attempted to confront them.

“At GSS Kuriga, 187 students are presently missing. In the primary school, 125 pupils were initially missing, but, 25 of them escaped and returned home,” Abdullahi told the governor.

Abdullahi recounted the moment of the attack, explaining that while signing the staff register in the acting principal’s office, they suddenly discovered the school surrounded by bandits.

He said, “I resumed work by 7:47 am and entered the acting principal’s office to sign the staff register when the bandits surrounded the school premises.

“All of a sudden, the acting principal asked me to look at my back and when I turned, we discovered that bandits had surrounded the school premises,” Abdullahi said.

“We became confused, we didn’t know where to go. Then, the bandits ordered us to enter the bush, so we obeyed them because they were many.

“So, when we entered the bush, I was lucky to escape alongside many other people. I returned to the village and reported what happened to the community.

“Immediately our vigilante and personnel of Kaduna Vigilante Service followed the bandits, but the vigilante did not succeed. The bandits killed one of the vigilantes, we just buried him a short while ago.

“It was when we came back that we briefed the village head and we started making efforts to find out the actual number of pupils and teachers taken by the bandits.”

In his remark, Governor Uba Sani expressed deep concern for the abducted children, emphasizing that every child in Kaduna State is his responsibility.

“Since I received the sad news of this incident, I have not had rest of mind because every child in Kaduna state is my child. So, I don’t want you people to be disturbed.

“Let us pray to God to help and on our part as a government, we will not rest until these children return home,” Sani said.

He assured the community of government efforts to ensure the safe return of the children and pledged to establish a police station and build a permanent military camp in the area.

The governor also informed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, about the attack and assured that security forces would be deployed to rescue the abducted children.

Governor Sani concluded by affirming the government’s commitment to supporting the community until the safe return of the children is achieved.

“We will do whatever we need to do to ensure the safe return of these children, even if it means coming to Kuriga to stay with you,” he said.

KanyiDaily had also reported how bandits allegedly killed a 53-year-old baker, Tijani Amedu and abducted his 13 relatives, mainly children, who were traveling with him in the Katari area of Kaduna state.