Bandits on Friday invaded Government Science Secondary School, Ƙanƙara Local Government Area, Katsina State while President Muhammadu Buhari arrived the state on one-week private visit. The bandits in a seeming daring of the President, kidnapped 54 students in the raid, compelling several other students, teachers, and staffers of the school to flee for safety.
The Friday raid further exposed the worsening security crisis in the north which the government appears to be overwhelmed. It was gathered that the Katsina State government was forced to shut down boarding schools after the invasion by bandits.
While 54 students were confirmed missing, a source from the school was said to have disclosed that hundreds of students were abducted. The source identified as a staff of the secondary school, was gathered to have revealed that 884 students were present in the school when the bandits attacked.
The Police public Relations Officer of the Katsina State Police Command, Gambo Isah, was said to have in conjunction with the principal of the school, Usman Abubakar, said that 200 of the students who fled for safety were found by the Divisional Police Officer in the area and returned.
The PPRO was said to have narrated that the police received report of the invasion by the bandits at about 11:30 pm; adding that the bandits were said to be armed with AK-47 rifles in the attack of the school.
“There was exchange of fire between our policemen and the bandits. In fact, they shot one of our policemen and he has been taken to the hospital and is responding to treatment,” the PPRO stated.
Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State ordered the immediate closure of all boarding secondary schools in the state after the attack.
The Director-General on Media to the governor, Abdu Labaran, in a statement, indicated that the governor ordered the closure of schools on Saturday morning after the Deputy Governor, Mannir Yakubu, and other government officials visited the school.
The DG Media further indicated that Governor Masari met with some parents, traditional, religious leaders, and security officials at the school and promised them that the government will do everything necessary to ensure all students return safely.