‘Many students’ kidnapped as gunmen attack Kaduna school

Gunmen have reportedly abducted dozens of students during an attack on Federal College Of Forestry Mechanisation in Igabi LGA, Kaduna state.

A resident told TheCable that the attack occurred in the early hours of Friday.

The school is about 15 kilometres from the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna.

Mohammed Jalige, police spokesman in the state, confirmed the incident to TheCable, and said efforts are ongoing to rescue the students.

“The gunmen stormed the school around 3 am, and abducted a couple of the students. The police have deployed its operatives in the bush to trace them,” he said.

The attack is the latest in a series of the abduction of students and pupils by bandits operating across northern Nigeria.

In 2021, there have been two cases of the mass abduction of schoolchildren in northern Nigeria during attacks by bandits.

TheCable found that more than 1,100 children have been taken hostage from their schools in such attacks in the last seven years.

Here is a timeline of the incidents:

April 14, 2014:

Between April 14 and 15, 2014, Boko Haram insurgents invaded the Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS) in Chibok LGA of Borno state from where they abducted 276 students. More than 100 are still being held by the insurgents to date.

February 19, 2018:

In neighbouring Yobe state where Boko Haram has also operated in the last decade, 113 persons were abducted when the insurgents struck at Government Girls Secondary and Technical College in Dapchi. All the girls have been freed except Leah Sharibu who is reportedly being held back for refusing to denounce Christianity.

December 12, 2020:

In Katsina state where President Muhammadu Buhari hails from, suspected bandits abducted 344 students during a late-night attack on Government Science Secondary School in Kankara. They all regained freedom after six days.

December 19, 2020:

At least 80 students of Islamiyya schools were abducted in Mahuta town in Dandume LGA of Katsina just as they were on their way home from a Maulud procession at Unguwar Al-Kasim, a nearby village. Fortunately, they were rescued shortly after in a joint effort between the police and local vigilante.

February 17, 2021:

The attacks shifted to the north-central on February 17 when armed bandits invaded the Government Science College (GSC) Kagara in Niger state and abducted 27 students. This time, they also left with members of their family and some teachers in the school — 42 hostages in total. They were all released after ten days.

February 26, 2021:

During an attack on Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Talata-Mafara LGA of Zamfara, bandits abducted 279 students after about four days.