618 Schools Shut In Northern States Over Abduction Scare

15 min read 2,820 words 5 views

*Security agencies foil kidnapping of 307 Kaduna pupils,
prevent attack on FAAN quarters

John Shiklam in Kaduna, Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano, Francis
Sardauna in Katsina, and Laleye Dipo in Minna

No fewer than 618 schools have remained closed in six northern
states over the fear of attack and abduction of pupils and members
of staff, according to a tally by THISDAY.

Also, barely three days after the abduction of 39 students of
the Federal School of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna State,
security agencies on Saturday rescued 307 pupils of Government
Secondary Science School (GSSS) Ikara, Ikara Local Government Area
of Kaduna from bandits who attempted to kidnap them from their
school.

Security forces also repelled attempts at fresh attack on the
senior staff quarters of the Federal Airport Authority (FAAN),
Kaduna, where 11 people were abducted about two weeks ago.

The six states where some schools have remained closed are
Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Niger and Yobe.

In Sokoto, the state government has closed all boarding schools
along border towns.

The state Commissioner for Security and Career Affairs, Col.
Garba Moyi (rtd), said the measure was to avoid the abduction of
pupils just as it happened in Katsina, Niger and Zamfara
States.

He added that the state Governor, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, had
directed the state commissioner for education to merge those
schools with the ones in towns.

According to him, schools affected include those in Sabon Birni,
Isa Rabah, Kebbe, Tangaza and Gudu local government areas.

THISDAY gathered that 16 boarding schools were affected.

The Zamfara State Government also closed boarding schools along
the border towns after the Jangebe incident.

In a reaction to the abduction of 279 pupils of Government Girls
Secondary School in Jangebe, Talata Mafara LGA, Governor Bello
Matawalle had shut down 10 schools along the borders with Sokoto
and Katsina States.

The state Commissioner for Education, Mr. Ibrahim Abdullahi,
listed the 10 affected schools as Government Secondary Schools in
Zurmi; GSS Birnin Magaji, (boarding) and G.A.S.S Zurmi (boarding);
G.G.S.S Moriki (boarding); Science Secondary School Shinkafi
(boarding); Science Secondary School, Dansadau (boarding); Science
Secondary School, Bukkuyum (boarding); G.D. S. S Nassarawa Mailayi
(day); G.D.S.S Gusami (day), and G.D.S.S Gurbin Bore (day).

In Katsina, the state government had initially shut down all its
38 boarding schools after the abduction of 344 pupils of Government
Science Secondary School, Kankara.

But the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Badamasi Lawal, later
announced the reopening of four out of the 38 boarding schools
after a meeting with zonal inspectors of education and permanent
secretaries.

He listed the four boarding schools which reopened on March 2 as
the Command Secondary School, Faskari; Command Girls Secondary
School, Barkiya; Command Secondary School, Musawa and Police
Secondary School, Mani.

The commissioner explained that male pupils in the remaining 34
boarding schools should report to the nearest day secondary school
in their location to continue with their studies, while female
students should remain at home until the security situation in the
state improves.

The Kano State Government also closed four tertiary institutions
and 12 secondary schools over insecurity in neighbouring
states.

The five tertiary schools closed are Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso
College of Advance and Remedial Studies, Tudun Wada; School of
Environmental Studies, Gwarzo; School of Rural Technology and
Entrepreneurship Development (SORTED), Rano and Audu Bako College
of Agriculture Development (ABCOAD), Dambatta.

The state government also closed 12 boarding secondary schools
on the outskirts of Kano metropolis over increasing abduction of
pupils.

The state Commissioner for Education, Mr. Muhammad Sunusi Kiru,
said the closure became necessary due to the rising number of
abductions of schoolchildren in neighbouring states.

The closed schools are located in Ajingi, Sumaila, Jogana, Kafin
Maiyaki and Gaya, among others.

All secondary schools in Niger State have been closed by the
state government.

The two-week closure was from March 12.

The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Hannatu Salihu, said the
closure of the schools was to enable the government to make
adequate security arrangements to protect the pupils and
workers.

In the wake of the abduction of 42 persons from the Government
Science College, Kagara, the state government had closed only the
boarding schools in Rafi, Mariga, Magama and Shiroro LGAs, which
were believed to be prone to bandits’ attacks.

With the closure of all secondary schools in the state, THISDAY
gathered that about 496 schools were affected.

The Information Officer of the State Ministry of Education,
Alhaji Jibrin Kodo, told THISDAY that 56 boarding schools with two
of them mixed are affected while the rest of the schools in the
state are day schools.

He declined to state the total number of schools in the
state.

The Yobe State government also closed all boarding schools as
part of proactive measures to safeguard pupils’ lives.

The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Muhammed
Idris, who announced the measure, said: “Students from JSS I to SSS
II should vacate their schools immediately.

“The closure of the boarding schools is informed by the security
concern and the urgent need for government to be proactive in
safeguarding the lives of the children”.

The commissioner, however, said all day schools were to continue
with their normal academic activities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), quoted the commissioner as
saying that further statements would be made concerning the
reopening of the schools as soon as possible.

THISDAY gathered that 46 boarding schools were affected by the
closure.

Security Agencies Foil Attacks on School, FAAN Quarters in
Kaduna

Meanwhile, barely three days after the abduction of 39 students
of the Federal School of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna,
security agencies on Saturday foiled attempts by bandits to abduct
307 pupils of Government Secondary Science School (GSSS) Ikara,
Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna state.

The Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home
Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, told journalists yesterday in Kaduna
that security forces also repelled attempts at a fresh attack on
the senior staff quarters of the Federal Airport Authority (FAAN),
Kaduna, where 11 people were abducted about two weeks ago.

Aruwan said the bandits stormed GSSS, Ikara, in the late hours
of Saturday in an attempt to kidnap the pupils, who alerted
security agencies that responded swiftly, forcing the bandits to
flee.

Aruwan said: “Between the late hours of Saturday night and the
early hours of today (Sunday), suspected bandits stormed the
Government Science Secondary School, Ikara, Ikara Local Government
Area, 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,
the 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.”

He added that following a head-count of the pupils by the
management of the school, “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.”

The commissioner said a fresh attempt to attack the Kaduna
senior staff quarters of FAAN was repelled by security
agencies.

According to him, troops foiled the attempt as they engaged and
repelled them, with some of the bandits escaping with gunshot
wounds.

The commissioner said the Kaduna State government also
acknowledged 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 been 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,” Aruwan stated.

According to him, the focus of the state government is on
getting back the missing students and preventing further episodes
of school abductions.

“We will continue to provide updates as further information
becomes available,” he added.

Bandits had invaded the Federal College of Forestry
Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna and abducted 39 students.

A video of the abducted students has gone viral on social media,
showing the students appealing to the government to settle the
bandits as they were being flogged by the criminals.