8 Secondary School Students Kidnapped In Kaduna

The Kaduna State Government on Tuesday said it received information that eight students of Government Secondary School, Awon in the Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State were kidnapped.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs Samuel Aruwan, in a statement, said the information came from security agencies, adding that details of the incidents were still being awaited.

In the statement issued on Tuesday morning, the commissioner said the number of the kidnapped students was given as 10.

The earlier statement read: “The Kaduna State Government has received preliminary reports from security agencies on the kidnapping of about 10 students in Kachia LGA.

“According to the preliminary reports, the students of Government Secondary School, Awon (a day secondary school) were kidnapped on Monday.

“The exact location of the incident is yet to be ascertained but detailed reports being awaited will clarify whether the incident occurred within the school premises or elsewhere.

“The government will issue a public statement accordingly when these reports are received.”

In the second statement issued later in the day, the commissioner said, “In an update to the earlier report suggesting the kidnapping of about 10 students in Kachia LGA, the Kaduna State Government has received detailed reports from security agencies on the incident.

“The government can confirm that eight students of the Government Secondary School, Awon in Kachia LGA were kidnapped on Monday in the general area, along with other citizens.

“Furthermore, it was verified that the students were not kidnapped within the school premises, but on their way home from school when they came in contact with the bandits, who had abducted other residents.

“The management of the school has submitted the names and classes of the kidnapped students.”

The statement said Governor Nasir El-Rufai condemned the abduction as unfortunate, “and has received assurances of efforts being exploited to rescue the eight students and other kidnapped citizens.”

Residents told one of our correspondents, who visited the community on Tuesday, that the bandits came on seven motorcycles and shot sporadically into the air.

They said no fewer than 11 students were whisked away, adding that four escaped from the bandits.

Our correspondent observed that both the secondary and primary schools as well as the market in the area were deserted as a result of the incident.

One of the students who escaped from the bandits, Shehu Ishaku, said he and his colleagues ran inside the bush as soon as they spotted the bandits.

The Senior Secondary School 3 student added that he was chased to a bush in a neighbouring village where he was caught but later escaped.

He said, “There is no network in this area, so we were coming from where we went to make a call to one of our uncles when we saw them coming down from their motorcycles with their guns. The motorcycles I saw were about seven. As soon we sighted them, we ran inside the bush, and two motorcycles chased us.

“I was caught at Akwndo village. They were angry and told me they were not joking with me. They told me to lie down and give them my phone. I didn’t; they hit me with the butt of their gun on my neck. I saw blood in my mouth. While I was there, they saw two girls running, so they went for them and caught them. It was then I ran and escaped from them.”