In a shocking incident that has sent shockwaves across the nation, more than 280 pupils and teachers from Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School in Kuriga, Kaduna State, fell victim to heartless bandit abductors on Thursday.
Condemnation and demands for immediate action have poured in from various quarters, including the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, Amnesty International, the Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, the Nigeria Union of Teachers, and the House of Representatives.
The brazen attack unfolded in the Kuriga area of Chikun Local Government Area, Kaduna State, as bandits reportedly shot at their victims before forcibly taking away the helpless pupils and educators from both schools. Notably, the secondary school had been relocated to the primary school due to heightened insecurity in the region.
This distressing event follows closely on the heels of the kidnapping of 200 internally displaced women in Borno State just a day before. In a disturbing pattern, bandits had previously invaded Gonin-Gora in the same Chikun LGA, leading residents to stage a protest by barricading the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway.
Narrating the harrowing ordeal, a teacher from Government Secondary School Kuriga, Sani Abdullahi, revealed that the bandits surrounded the school premises, forcing them into the bush. Despite efforts by vigilantes to pursue the criminals, one vigilante lost his life in the process.
During a visit to the scene, Kaduna State Governor Senator Uba Sani pledged to the community that every effort would be made to ensure the safe return of the abducted pupils. The Governor confirmed he had consulted with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and security operations were underway.
Various organizations, including the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, Amnesty International, and the Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, expressed their condemnation and grief over the incident. Amnesty International called for the safe rescue of the students and urged the government to apprehend the perpetrators.
As the nation grapples with this distressing situation, the call for urgent and decisive action to address the rising insecurity, particularly in schools, becomes increasingly vocal. The government faces mounting pressure to safeguard the lives of its citizens, especially the vulnerable children who are meant to be the future of the nation.