Boko Haram releases video of abducted Kankara schoolboys

Boko Haram has released a video showing the abducted students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina state.

Over 300 students were abducted last Friday when gunmen invaded the school. 

Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram, had on Tuesday said his group was responsible for the attack.

In a new video released on Thursday by the insurgents, some of the boys, looking distraught, appealed to the government to cooperate with their abductors so that they can be freed. 

“Please help us. Tell the vigilantes and soldiers not to come around,” one of the boys in the video said, adding “more than 500 of us are in the forest”.

“Close any form of school, including Islamiyah. Please send the army back. They can’t do anything to help us. Please sir, we need your assistance,” the distraught boy said.

At the end of the video, a voice believed to be that of Shekau said, “he was doing Allah’s work”.

Aminu Masari, governor of Katsina, had claimed that bandits and not Boko Haram abducted the schoolboys.

He said the state government knew the abductors of the children.

“The report we have and from the information available to us, this abduction was conducted and executed by local bandits that are known to all of us,” he had said.

When asked if there is a possible link between the attackers and Boko Haram, the governor said there are “signs” that bandits are making contact with the insurgents.

“You know over one year, there were signs that some of the elements of the bandits are making contact with some of the elements of Boko Haram or ISWAP,” he added.

Isa Gambo, Katsina police spokesperson, was not reachable for comment over the development.