Attack on Katsina school: Gov. Masari shuts down all boarding schools

…Over 400 students were found – Commissioner

Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has ordered the
closure of all boarding schools till further notice following
Friday night attack by gunmen on Government Science secondary
school, Kankara local government area of the state.

The Governor gave the order while speaking with newsmen shortly
after visiting the scene of incident on Saturday.

Masari said the schools should be shut down and the children
returned to their respective homes.

This was also coming as the State’s Commissioner of Education,
Associate Professor Badamasi Charanchi said a total of about 406
students were found after the gunmen attack on the school.

Charanchi stated this while addressing residents, parents and
guardians in the school premises in a short video going viral on
social media.

The Commissioner upon interaction with some of the students who
found their way back, they said they passed the night inside the
bush walking all through.

“The children have continued to return and according to report
available, the number of the missing children who have returned are
now 406 including the earlier ones found.

“We have interacted with many of the children who said some
passed the night in the bush walking all through.

“Parents who come and upon identification of their children, we
will hand over their children to them to return back home,” the
Commissioner, Charanchi stated.

We rescued over 200 missing students –
Police

The Katsina State Police Command says it has rescued over 200 of
the students back to the school compound.

The Command’s spokesperson, SP Gambo Isah stated this while
confirming the ugly incident.

This was also as he said the command, Army and Air Force has
launched manhunt and working closely with the school authorities
with a view to search and rescue the remaining missing and
kidnapped students.

SP Isah said one of it men was injured during the attack.

“Yesterday (Friday), 11/12/2020 at about 21:40hrs, Bandits in
their numbers, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles, attacked
Government Science secondary school, Kankara. The policemen on duty
also responded to the attack and engaged them in a gun duel which
gave the students opportunity to scaled the fence of the school and
ran for safety.

“The DPO reinforced the policemen on duty with Armoured
Personnel Carrier, (APC) which forced the hoodlums to retreat back
into the forest.

“One Inspector sustained a gunshot wound and was taken to the
hospital and is responding to treatment.

“In the course of investigation, the DPO rescued over two
hundred students back into the school compound. The police,
Nigerian Army, and Nigerian Air Force are working closely with the
school authorities to ascertain the actual number of the missing
and/or kidnapped students while search parties are assidiously
working with a view to find and/or rescue the missing students. It
will be too early to say at this particular moment the actual
number of students that have been kidnapped or missing,” the PPRO,
SP Isah said.

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser on Security, Ibrahim Katsina,
appeal to all citizens to see the security challenges as
collective.

“While Governments at different levels are doing everything
humanly possible to ensure the safety of lives and properties, it’s
very important to understand that due to the complexity of the
problem, we can only succeed in solving the problem through
collective efforts and sincere partnership as commendably
demonstrated by the people of Kankara yesterday night leading to
the chasing away of the bandits.

“Bandits operates by using information mostly sourced from the
bad eggs living in our communities. These bad eggs monitor
Government security plans and choose soft targets for the bandits
thereby making it cumbersome for government to detect and preempt
such attacks. It’s only a collaboration between official and local
intelligence apparatuses that we could curtail incidences like
this,” the S.A on Security, Ibrahim Katsina stated.

…Over 400 students were found – Commissioner

Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has ordered the
closure of all boarding schools till further notice following
Friday night attack by gunmen on Government Science secondary
school, Kankara local government area of the state.

The Governor gave the order while speaking with newsmen shortly
after visiting the scene of incident on Saturday.

Masari said the schools should be shut down and the children
returned to their respective homes.

This was also coming as the State’s Commissioner of Education,
Associate Professor Badamasi Charanchi said a total of about 406
students were found after the gunmen attack on the school.

Charanchi stated this while addressing residents, parents and
guardians in the school premises in a short video going viral on
social media.

The Commissioner upon interaction with some of the students who
found their way back, they said they passed the night inside the
bush walking all through.

“The children have continued to return and according to report
available, the number of the missing children who have returned are
now 406 including the earlier ones found.

“We have interacted with many of the children who said some
passed the night in the bush walking all through.

“Parents who come and upon identification of their children, we
will hand over their children to them to return back home,” the
Commissioner, Charanchi stated.

We rescued over 200 missing students –
Police

The Katsina State Police Command says it has rescued over 200 of
the students back to the school compound.

The Command’s spokesperson, SP Gambo Isah stated this while
confirming the ugly incident.

This was also as he said the command, Army and Air Force has
launched manhunt and working closely with the school authorities
with a view to search and rescue the remaining missing and
kidnapped students.

SP Isah said one of it men was injured during the attack.

“Yesterday (Friday), 11/12/2020 at about 21:40hrs, Bandits in
their numbers, shooting sporadically with AK 47 rifles, attacked
Government Science secondary school, Kankara. The policemen on duty
also responded to the attack and engaged them in a gun duel which
gave the students opportunity to scaled the fence of the school and
ran for safety.

“The DPO reinforced the policemen on duty with Armoured
Personnel Carrier, (APC) which forced the hoodlums to retreat back
into the forest.

“One Inspector sustained a gunshot wound and was taken to the
hospital and is responding to treatment.

“In the course of investigation, the DPO rescued over two
hundred students back into the school compound. The police,
Nigerian Army, and Nigerian Air Force are working closely with the
school authorities to ascertain the actual number of the missing
and/or kidnapped students while search parties are assidiously
working with a view to find and/or rescue the missing students. It
will be too early to say at this particular moment the actual
number of students that have been kidnapped or missing,” the PPRO,
SP Isah said.

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser on Security, Ibrahim Katsina,
appeal to all citizens to see the security challenges as
collective.

“While Governments at different levels are doing everything
humanly possible to ensure the safety of lives and properties, it’s
very important to understand that due to the complexity of the
problem, we can only succeed in solving the problem through
collective efforts and sincere partnership as commendably
demonstrated by the people of Kankara yesterday night leading to
the chasing away of the bandits.

“Bandits operates by using information mostly sourced from the
bad eggs living in our communities. These bad eggs monitor
Government security plans and choose soft targets for the bandits
thereby making it cumbersome for government to detect and preempt
such attacks. It’s only a collaboration between official and local
intelligence apparatuses that we could curtail incidences like
this,” the S.A on Security, Ibrahim Katsina stated.