From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi and Laide Raheem, Abeokuta

The Kebbi State Police Command has confirmed the killing of one police officer and abduction of five teachers and unspecified number of students at Federal Government College, Birnin-Yauri in Yauri Emirate.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Adeleke Adeyinka-Bode, confirmed the incident in Birnin Kebbi, in a telephone interview with Daily Sun, yesterday.

“The truth is that the attack took place and five teachers were taken away: four male and one female. But the number of students abducted are not known yet between me and God.

“The attack took place around 12pm; and during the crossfire between police and the bandits some students and one police officer were injured, while one police officer was killed.

“These are the facts I can give to you,” he said.

He added that the number of students abducted was not known yet as only the principal of the school could give the number.

“The principal is not in his state of mind as I am speaking to you now; because parents have trooped into the school searching for their children. So, the principal cannot make a proper head count call,” the Commissioner said.

One of the parents of the abducted students, who pleaded anonymity, said: “As I am talking to you now, my son is in the school and I am on my way to that school.

“The bandits have killed some police officers, taken away police vehicles and abducted several students.”

Also on Wednesday evening, bandits abducted four workers of a Chinese company handling the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railway project and killed a policeman attached to them, at a border village between Ogun and Oyo States.