Mix-up over release of 333 students kidnapped in Katsina as Boko Haram releases video of captives

There was mix-up over the release of the 333 students kidnapped by bandits in Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, last Friday. The Katsina State government was reported to have revealed that the students have been released on Thursday, same day Boko Haram terrorists released video of the captives. While the report of the boys’ freedom was spreading, the Nigerian Army disclosed efforts of soldiers to rescue the students. The Army stated that the students are safe and unharmed.

On the invasion of the school last Friday by bandits, a staff of the secondary school had revealed that over 830 students were present in the school at the time of the attack, security operatives who intervened after the bandits had gone disclosed that 200 students of the fleeing population returned to the school after normalcy was restored. This culminated into the arithmetic that over 600 students were missing. However, Governor Aminu Masari confirmed that 333 students were missing but the presidency said only 10 students were kidnapped. The military endorsed the 333 missing students declared by the governor.

On Thursday, the kidnapped students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State, were watched in a Boko Haram video released by the Abubakar Shekau faction begging for help from the government to secure their freedom,

The students lamented that some of them were killed by their captives. The students appealed to the government to accept the demands of the kidnappers and pay the requested ransom for their freedom.

The kidnappers in the new video released on Thursday displayed the boys, some of them crying, bit claiming they were in good health.

One of the boys who spoke in both English and Hausa confirmed the figure claimed by Boko Haram terrorists that over 520 students were kidnapped, adding that some of them were killed because the government sent troops to rescue them. The victims opposed the use of military force to rescue them. A voice behind the camera could be heard telling the pupil what to say.

The student had declared: “We have been caught by the gangs of Abu Shekau; some of us were killed.”

One of the terrorist was noticed standing in the midst of the students who were gathered in a place wearing military uniform, a face mask, and displaying an assault rifle.

The kidnappers in the video explained that they kidnapped the students because the government refused to stop killing and arresting Fulani criminals.

“We did this because you refused to stop killing and arresting Fulani,” one of the Boko Haram terrorists had said.

The students’ spokesperson, therefore, appealed to the government to stop fighting the terrorists, saying, “All the armies that you sent here can do nothing to them.” He added that that government should “dissolve vigilante gangs and close down all types of schools, excluding Islamiyya [Qur’anic schools]”.

The leader of the Jama’atu Ahlussunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, was sighted speaking at the end of the video that he was happy with the operation.

Shekau emphasized that many people thought he was lying when he claimed responsibility for the schoolboys’ abduction. He added that he would not add anything since sceptics could now see the boys by themselves.

“Even if I didn’t say anything, here are my people speaking and here are your boys speaking too,” Shekau had said.

The video contradicts several statements of the Katsina State governor which include the number of students kidnapped and the claim that the bandits who kidnapped the students have contacted him and they are negotiating.