An attempt by a gang of bandits to kidnap students of the Government Science Secondary School, GSSS, Ikara in Kaduna State was foiled averted by the intervention of federal troops in the early hours of Sunday.

 

Mr. Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs in the state, who spoke at a press conference on Sunday, confirmed the botched attack.

 

He said that “307 students were rescued unhurt” by troops who foiled the attempted kidnap.

 

Aruwan narrated how the students make use of the students made use of the security warning system put in place at the school between the late hours of Saturday night and the early hours of Sunday, which enabled them to alert security forces in the area.

 

The kidnap attempt came two days after bandits kidnapped 39 students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, also in Kaduna.

 

Aruwan said that the security forces comprising the troops of the Nigerian Army, Police and some security volunteers moved swiftly to the school and engaged the bandits, forcing them to flee.

 

“The military and police are still on the trail of the armed bandits. Following a headcount by the school management, the Kaduna State Government can confirm to you that all 307 students have been verified safe and present. The attempted kidnap was foiled completely and no student was taken from the school.

 

“Similarly, around Ifira village in Igabi local government area, bandits attempted to attack a senior staff quarter around the Kaduna Airport general area.

 

“This attempt was also foiled as troops of the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Army engaged and repelled them, with several escaping with gunshot wounds,” Aruwan said.

 

The gunmen holding the 39 students  – 23 females and 16 males, – are demanding a ransom of N500m. Videos released by the bandits on Saturday showed the gunmen forcing the students to call on the Nigerian government to pay the ransom to secure their release.

 

The highly traumatized, bruised, and beaten students, both male and female, are seen sitting on the ground, huddled together under some trees standing far from each other against sparse vegetation. The students are seen begging the government not to apply force to rescue them because their captors mean business. They are ready to finish them off should the government try anything funny by way of a rescue attempt, the students lamented.

 

In one of the videos, young ladies, with just wrappers over their chests and braziers, are seen crying and begging the government to do the needful: “Just pay the ransom. Our parents need us.” Most of the guys are wearing only their shorts