TheCable

Gunmen have kidnapped some pupils from a UBE primary school at Rama in Birnin-Gwari LGA of Kaduna state.

The gunmen abducted some teachers from the school as well.

A resident told TheCable the gunmen invaded the school on Monday morning just as it was resuming for the day.

It is not immediately clear how many persons were taken hostage.

The state police command has been contacted for details.

Samuel Aruwan, the state commissioner for internal security and home affairs, confirmed the attack but could not provide details of those kidnapped.

“The Kaduna State Government is receiving security reports of kidnapping of some pupils and teachers in a primary school located in Rema, Birnin Gwari local government area,” he said in a statement.

“According to preliminary reports, the incident occurred at an LEA Primary School in the LGA.

“The Kaduna State Government is currently obtaining details on the actual number of pupils and teachers reported to have been kidnapped and will issue a comprehensive statement as soon as possible.”

The attack took place about three days after a similar incident at the Federal College Of Forestry Mechanisation in Igabi LGA.

The 39 students abducted from the school are yet to be released. There is also no official information yet on where they are kept.

After that incident, President Muhammadu Buhari warned that the federal government will not allow the destruction of the school system by bandits — but this might be coming late.

In 2021, there have been two cases of the mass abduction of school children 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.