From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Security operatives in has foiled attempts by bandits to kidnap 307 students from Government Science Secondary School, Ikara, Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The gunmen stormed the school between the late hours of Saturday and the early hours of yesterday, but the students were said to have quickly alerted the security who intervened immediately.
Addressing a press conference, yesterday, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said: “Between the late hours of Saturday and the early hours of today (yesterday), suspected bandits stormed the Government Science Secondary School, Ikara, Ikara council, in an attempt to kidnap students.
“Fortunately, the students utilised 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 military and police are still on the trail of the bandits.
“Following a head count by the school management, the 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.
“Similarly, around Ifira village in Igabi council, 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 Mechanisation, Afaka. These efforts have being 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.
“As a government, our focus is on getting back our missing students and preventing further episodes of school abductions. We will continue to provide updates as further information becomes available.”