About 307 students have escaped being abducted by bandits who attacked Government Science Secondary School, Ikara in Kara Local Government Area in Kaduna in the early hours of Sunday.
The attack was confirmed by state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, who noted that: “307 students were rescued unhurt” by troops who foiled the attempted kidnap.
Aruwan said: “Between the late hours of Saturday night and the early hours of today, suspected bandits stormed the Government Science Secondary School, Ikara, Ikara local government area, in an attempt to kidnap students.
“Fortunately, the students utilized the security warning system in place and were thus able to alert security forces in the area.
“The security forces comprising the troops of the Nigerian Army, Police and some security volunteers moved swiftly to the school and engaged the bandits, forcing them to flee.”
The Commissioner told reporters on Sunday all the 307 students were verified safe and present after the botched kidnap attack.
“The military and police are still on the trail of the armed bandits.
“Following a head count by the school management, the Kaduna State Government can confirm to you that all 307 students have been verified safe and present.
“The attempted kidnap was foiled completely and no student was taken from the school.
“The images provided by the Nigerian Army can attest to this, and will be shared with you,” he said.
I another statement over the attack, Aruwan, at another wing of the Kaduna International Airport said: “Similarly, around Ifira village in Igabi local government area, bandits attempted to attack a senior staff quarters around the Kaduna Airport general area.
“This attempt was also foiled as troops of the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Army engaged and repelled them, with several escaping with gunshot wounds.
“The Kaduna State Government acknowledges the efforts of the security agencies in the recent rescue of 180 students in the vicinity of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka. These efforts have been mentioned in interviews given by some of the rescued students.
“By virtue of access to the facts of the event, the Kaduna State Government extends its unequivocal solidarity to the Military, Police, Department of State Services and other security agencies, whose swift intervention prevented the bandits from abducting more persons.
“The Kaduna State Government maintains a clear focus at this time, and that is to ensure the safe return of the missing students, and to consolidate intelligence gathering and security vigilance towards forestalling possible attempts on other facilities or institutions.”
