- Troops rescue 180
By John Shiklam
About 30 students of the Federal College of Forestry, Kaduna are said to be missing after gunmen invaded the school.
Samuel Aruwan, the state commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Kaduna.
Aruwan said the bandits invaded the school around 11:30 pm on Thursday by breaking the parameter fence.
He said I80 of the students were rescued by troops, adding that the bandits came to the school in large number.
The commissioner said a combined team of the Nigeria Army, Nigerian Air Force, Police and DSS are conducting an operation to track the missing students.
He said, “Troops of the Nigerian Army in the early hours of today, Friday, 12th March 2021 rescued 180 citizens, many of them students, at the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Igabi local government area of Kaduna State.
“The armed bandits in large number had attacked the institution at around 11:30pm on Thursday and kidnapped several students and staff.”
The commissioner said the hoodlums “broke into the institution by breaching a perimeter fence. They then encroached about 600 meters to attack the first facility.”
He said , “The Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs on receiving a distress call, alerted the 1 Division Nigerian Army and the Air Training Command of the Nigerian Air Force. “
According to him, “Troops of the Nigerian Army immediately moved to the school and engaged the armed bandits accordingly.
“The troops successfully rescued 180 citizens; 42 female students, eight staff and 130 male students. “However, about 30 students, a mix of males and females, are yet to be accounted for.”
He said further that some of the rescued students were injured and presently receiving medical attention at a military facility.
He said Governor Nasir El-Rufai received report of the incident and thanked the troops for their swift response and the rescue of the 180 citizens and also wished the injured students a speedy recovery.
Aruwan said, “As at the time of this update, a combined team of Army, Air Force, Police and DSS troops are conducting an operation to track the missing students.
“Citizens will be updated on emerging developments.”
See photos of some of the rescued students and the perimeter fence of the school breached by the gunmen.
