Just days after some gunmen abducted some students at a secondary school in Kaduna, another kidnap attempt by bandits at the Government Science Secondary School, GSSS, Ikara in Kaduna State was successfully blocked by federal troops in the early hours of Sunday.
According to Mr Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs in the state, between the late hours of Saturday night and the early hours of Sunday, the students effectively made use of the security warning system in place, through which they alerted the security forces in the area.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Aruwan said that 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 armed bandits. Following a head count by the school management, the Kaduna 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 local government area, 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 Mechanization, Afaka.
He said the Kaduna State Government extended its unflinching support 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.”
The government of Kaduna state reaffirmed its commitment to guaranteeing and ensuring the safety of their students adding, “our focus is on getting back our missing students and preventing further episodes of school abductions.”
According to the government, the state will continue to provide updates as further information becomes available.