The Kano State Road and Traffic Agency (KAROTA) has recovered information technology equipment worth more than N80 million, stolen from Aisha Shehu Government Junior Secondary School in Fagge district.
KAROTA said its patrol team acted on a midnight distress call after intruders broke into the school’s computer room, removing solar panels, computers, and accessories provided under the World Bank–funded Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) program.
According to KAROTA spokesman Abubakar Ibrahim, about 10 suspects forced their way into the building through the roof, subdued security guards, and attempted to escape with the items.
KAROTA Managing Director Faisal Mahmud confirmed that officers stormed the premises shortly after 2 a.m., forcing the suspects to abandon the stolen goods as they fled. “When the thieves saw the patrol vehicles approaching, they abandoned the items and fled,” Mahmud said.
Photographs released by the agency showed stacks of computers and solar panels recovered from the school grounds. No arrests have been made, but KAROTA said a manhunt is underway to apprehend the perpetrators.
Mahmud praised the swift response of his patrol team, stressing that their action safeguarded vital resources for students. He urged residents to report suspicious activities, describing community vigilance as essential to tackling burglary and vandalism.
The school’s principal, Rufa’atu Mahmud, expressed relief over the recovery, noting that the equipment was crucial for her students’ digital education. “This intervention saved the future of our girls who are supposed to benefit from this project,” she said.
Kano education officials have raised concerns over repeated thefts targeting public schools, particularly as new resources are deployed through development projects. The AGILE initiative, launched in 2020, continues to strengthen digital literacy and secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls across Nigerian states.
