From Sola Ojo

152 out of 180 boarding students of Bethel Baptist Secondary School Kujuma in Chikun local government area of Kaduna State were unaccounted for after the school was attacked by bandits early hours of Monday.

A credible source who spoke to Daily Sun in confidence said, the remaining 28 students managed to escape from the attackers shortly after, and must have been reunited with their families through the Nigerian Army who earlier took their custody.

“As we speak, 28 children who escaped are with the Army and they are about to be reunited with their parents any moment from now. The leaders of the Church have been discussing with the Army.

“We have not heard from the bandits. The school has 180 students as boarders 28 are with us. So, it means we can’t account for 152 because we don’t know whether all of them are with the bandits or not. But then, since it was a bandit attack, we suspected that they are with the bandits”, the source said.

Speaking to Daily Sun in his capacity as a parent to one of the escapees, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Kaduna State Chapter, Reverend Joseph Hayab, lamented the worsening security situation in Kaduna State.

“My son was in that school. In fact, when we heard about the development, we contacted the family friends who are not far from the school to know whether it was true or not. But, they were not aware as about 5 am this morning.

“I had to tell the mother of the boy that we should get ready for the worse. However, we call another family friend in the area who confirmed that the boy escaped the attack and he was right before him.

“As a father, what do you do? Today, my son suppose to be writing NECO and his colleagues are with the kidnappers.

“Now, the state government should seek help and stop paying lip services to this issue of security in Kaduna state. Look at how these bandits have been kidnapping people in Zaria and Kaduna. Bring the stakeholders together and see how we can overcome this challenge. Why would this happen again? Hayab queried.

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Another parent said in confidence that the school had met with the parent over the weekend and were planning to evacuate the students from boarding session when the bandits came calling.

“We must met at the weekend on how to evacuate the boarding students pending the time the security situation in the state will improve. And, unfortunately, this happened. We pray for the quick release of these young Nigerians”, she said in tears.

Reacting, the Publicity Secretary, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Emmanuel Yawe, described the development as “sad and unfortunate”.

“Its sad & unfortunate that innocent Nigerians have to go through all these. We can only pray that God should touch the hearts of kidnappers so that they do not bring physical harm on the kidnapped students but release them unconditionally”, he prayed.

Confirming the development, Police Public Relations Officer for the Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Muhammed Jalige said, 26 students including a female teacher were rescued from the bandits.

Jalige in a statement said, “in the early hours of today Monday, July 5, 2021 at about 0143hrs the Command received a report that armed bandits in large number had gained access into Bethel Baptist Secondary School Kujuma in Chikun LGA of Kaduna State. 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.

“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.

“However, the rescue 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”.