Pregnant undergraduate among abductees
John Shiklam in Kaduna
One student died while 10 others were abducted when bandits raided the main campus of the Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria, Kaduna State on Thursday night.
A young pregnant student, Fatima Muhammad was among the students abducted, according to an account by one Radeeyah Beentu Musah, who said Fatima was abducted along with another course mate, simply identified as Hauwa.
The dead student, an HND II Statistics scholar, was shot by the hoodlums and died in the hospital yesterday morning.
However, three of the victims were released yesterday morning.
The incident, according to sources in the school, occurred at about 11pm on Thursday at the campus of the institution located along the Zaria- Kaduna Express Way.
The source said the bandits, who were in large number, shot sporadically upon entering the school.
“Those abducted included two academic staff and two children of one of the staff. The woman and her two children were the ones released yesterday morning,” said the source.
This is the second time the school is being attacked by gunmen. On November 15, 2020, bandits stormed the school in the night and abducted a staff and his two children.
The Kaduna State Government yesterday confirmed the attack at the Polytechnic.
In a statement, Samuel Aruwan, the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, said security agencies had briefed the state government on the attack.
Aruwan said the security briefings indicated that the bandits invaded the staff quarters of the campus, shooting sporadically.
He said in the process, two students – Ahmad Muhammad and Haruna Duniya – were hit and both sustained injuries.
Aruwan said the wounded students were taken to hospital for medical attention, but “sadly, Ahmad Muhammad succumbed to his wounds and died early this morning. Haruna Isyaku Duniya is still receiving treatment.”
Aruwan added: “Governor Nasir El-Rufai received the briefing with sadness and prayed for the repose of the soul of the student killed, while sending condolences to his family. He wished the injured student a speedy recovery.
“As at the time of this update, senior government officials and security agencies are conducting security assessments and interfacing with the management and students of the institution. The public will be updated on further developments.”
Kaduna has witnessed a surge in kidnapping and banditry in recent times.
The latest incident makes it the fourth attack on a school in the state this year.
Meanwhile, some gunmen have kidnapped a three-month-old baby and five women at Anguwar Epe, behind Government Science Secondary School (GSSS), Tungan-Maje, Abuja.
An eyewitness identified as Ishaku said the incident occurred around 10:23pm on Tuesday June 8. He said some of the kidnappers, who took strategic positions in the community, shot sporadically into the air to scare neighbours and security agents from coming after them.
Ishaku also said that the kidnappers had already left with their victims before policemen arrived.
He said: “They came through the big mountain behind the Epe, positioned themselves and invaded two houses and whisked away a three-month-old child alongside five women.”
