President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the attack on a secondary school in Katsina State by gunmen on Friday night.
Okay.ng had reported how armed men attacked the Government Boys Science Secondary School in the Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State and abducted many students.
The gunmen believed to be bandits arrived at the school at around 10.15 pm Friday night and carried out their operation for about one hour.
The principal of the school, Usman Abubakar, also confirmed the incident saying that the gunmen stormed the school gate and shot one of the policemen on duty on his leg who is presently receiving treatment in one of the hospitals. The other policeman who was also on duty escaped before the bandits gained complete access to the school.
Abubakar added that the bandits later proceeded to the staff quarters where they abducted the wife of one of the workers but later released her while they went away with their child.
Buhari in a statement issued by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, said “the military, supported by air power has located the bandits’ enclave at Zango/Paula forest in Kankara and there have been exchange of fire in an ongoing operation.”
The statement reads: “President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday strongly condemned the bandits’ attack at the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State, charging the army and the police to go after the attackers to ensure that no student gets missing or harmed.
“The President urged the school authorities to carry out an audit of the population of the students following shootings in and around the school that sent hundreds of them fleeing and scrambling over perimeter walls. Parents who rushed to the school and removed their children and wards were also required to notify the school and police authorities in order to have a full account of the school population.
“I strongly condemn the cowardly bandits’ attack on innocent children at the Science School, Kankara. Our prayers are with the families of the students, the school authorities and the injured,” said President Buhari while pledging to continue to support the police and military struggle against terrorists and bandits.
“In the latest briefing received by the President from Governor Aminu Bello Masari, with whom he has been in touch, and the Army Chief of Staff, General Tukur Buratai, the military, supported by air power has located the bandits’ enclave at Zango/Paula forest in Kankara and there have been exchange of fire in an ongoing operation. Police said so far, there has not been reported any student casualty.
“The President has directed the reinforcement of security of all schools in line with the safe schools policy of the administration.”
