Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Two hundred students who fled for safety on Friday night after bandits attacked the Government Science Secondary School, Ƙanƙara in Katsina State, have been safely returned.
The Police Spokesperson, Gambo Isah and the Principal of the school, Usman Abubakar confirmed this to Channels Television on Saturday.
This comes amid reports that hundreds were abducted during the raid.
Although the school and police authorities are yet to confirm reports of an abduction or casualties, Abubakar said the management and the police are currently conducting a headcount of the students.
“Precisely we cannot ascertain the number of students kidnapped until later in the day as some of the students are now resurfacing from the nearby bush. We are currently taking the attendance. Some of them went straight to their various houses with their parents calling us that their children are at home,” Abubakar noted.
Giving his own account, the police spokesperson said: “what happened was that yesterday around 11:30 pm, we had a report that Bandits in their numbers armed with AK 47 Rifles attacked the Government Science Secondary School Ƙanƙara.
“There was opportunity that our policemen engaged the Bandits in a gun duel. Many of the students escaped from the school. So, this morning the DPO found over 200 of the students and returned them back to the school. We are still counting the figures in order to ascertain whether or not actually the Bandits were able to kidnap any of the students.
“Already we have policemen that were posted in that school. So, there was exchange of fire between our policemen and the Bandits. Infact, they shot one of our policeman that got injured and he has been taken to the hospital and is responding to treatment.”
Armed with sophisticated weapons, the bandits stormed the school in their numbers and attacked the students in an operation that last about an hour.
Meanwhile, Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has ordered the closure of all boarding schools till further notice following Friday night attack by gunmen on Government Science secondary school, Kankara local government area of the state.
The Governor gave the order while speaking with newsmen shortly after visiting the scene of incident on Saturday.
Masari said the schools should be shut down and the children returned to their respective homes.
This was also coming as the State’s Commissioner of Education, Associate Professor Badamasi Charanchi said a total of about 406 students were found after the gunmen attack on the school.
Charanchi stated this while addressing residents, parents and guardians in the school premises in a short video going viral on social media.
The Commissioner upon interaction with some of the students who found their way back, they said they passed the night inside the bush walking all through.
“The children have continued to return and according to report available, the number of the missing children who have returned are now 406 including the earlier ones found.
“We have interacted with many of the children who said some passed the night in the bush walking all through.
“Parents who come and upon identification of their children, we will hand over their children to them to return back home,” the Commissioner, Charanchi stated.
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