The Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the mass abduction of students of Bethel Baptist Secondary school in Chikun local council area of the state.
The command’s spokeman, Mohammed Jalige, said it received a report that armed bandits in large number had gained access into the school premises in the early hours of Monday.
“They shot berserkly, overpowered the school’s security guards and made their way into the students hostel where they abducted an unspecified number of students into the forest.”
He also announced that the joint task force of police and other sister agencies have successfully rescued 26 including a female teacher.
“On the receipt of the unfortunate incident, a joint team of the Nigeria Police, Army and Navy Operatives were immediately mobilised to the area with a mission to rescue the abducted students unhurt.
The Operatives gave the bandits a hot pursuit occasioned by a tactical application of weapons and succeeded in rescuing twenty six (26) students including a female teacher safely.”
Mr Jalige assured that the operation is still ongoing to ensure that all victims are safely returned.
“Officers involved in the said operation are charged to ensure no stone is left unturned with a view to successfully accomplish the rescue mission since resources will be availed them without delay.”
“The Command is therefore encouraging parents not to be deterred by the recent bandits’ activities in the state targeting schools and learning institutions as strategic measures will be emplaced to forestall further occurrence of such dastardly act of criminality against innocent children.”
“The Command is saddened by the incident and call on all stakeholders on security to unite particularly at this very critical time to safeguard schools in order to guarantee a safe and secured learning environment and other meaningful businesses.”
The recent abduction is the fourth mass abduction of students in Kaduna, one of the North-west states badly hit by banditry.
POLITICS NIGERIA had reported how the breakdown of security in the North-west and North-central regions of the country has led to a surge in kidnapping and banditry.
