Armed men yesterday invaded a private secondary school, Engravers College, in Kaduna State and abducted six schoolgirls and two teachers.
The kidnappers invaded the college located at Sabo in Chikun Local Government Area about 12.10a.m., shot indiscriminately in the air, forcing some staff and students on the school premises to take to their heels.
The police have confirmed the attack.
They claimed that a manhunt was already under way to rescue the victims and arrest the abductors.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Yakubu Abubakar Sabo, said in a statement that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Intelligent Respond Team (IRT) had also been contacted for technical support in tracking down the culprits.
Sabo also directed school proprietors across the state to liaise with security operatives in their area and beef-up security to avoid future occurrence.
He said: “The command received information through DPO Toll Gate, in the early hours of today 03/10/2019 about 3.10a.m., that some armed men gained entry into the Engravers College, a boarding secondary school in a remote area near Kakau Daji village in Chikun Local Government Area and took away two staff of the college and six female students to an unknown destination.
“On receipt of that information, the command immediately mobilised combined teams of Anti-Kidnapping, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), and conventional police to the area for possible rescue of the victims and arresting the perpetrators of the unfortunate incident.
“IGP’s Intelligent Respond Team (IRT) has been contacted for technical support.
“The command therefore, is using this opportunity to reiterate its call on all the private school proprietors within the state to liaise with their nearest police formation and promptly report incidents or suspicious persons around schools to forestall future occurrence of ugly incidents.
“On this note, the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command, Ali Janga, is assuring the general public that the command is doing everything possible to secure the release of all the victims unhurt.
“He equally called on the good people of the state not to relent in giving the police prompt and useful information at all times.”
Meanwhile, the state government has also confirmed and condemned the attack.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, said in a statement that Governor Nasir el-Rufai had dispatched a delegation to sympathise with the school community and assure them that security agencies were working to rescue abducted persons.
He said: “The Kaduna State government condemns this as a despicable action, a most unfortunate intrusion of crime into the lives of young students and the staff teaching them.
“Governor Nasir el-Rufai has despatched a government delegation to sympathise with the school community and assure them that security agencies are working to rescue the abducted persons.
“The state government delegation was led by Samuel Aruwan, the Commissioner, Internal Security and Home Affairs.
“Accompanied by security agencies, the commissioner spoke to parents and staff of the school and assured them that every effort will exerted to free the abductees and punish this brazen crime.”
Aruwan said the school management and the parents of the students would be given updates as appropriate.
