TheCable

The Kaduna state government says 172 students of Federal College of Forestry Mechanization in Igabi LGA have been rescued after bandits attacked the school.

Samuel Aruwan, the state commissioner for internal security and home affairs, said in a statement that eight staff were also freed from the bandits.

He, however, added that 30 students are still unaccounted for.

TheCable had reported that the students were abducted when the gunmen invaded the school in Afaka town in the early hours of Friday.

The abduction is the latest in a series of attacks the bandits are carrying out across schools in northern Nigeria.

Aruwan said the gunmen arrived in large number and broke into the institution by breaching a perimeter fence.

“They then encroached about 600 meters to attack the first facility,” he said.

“The Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs on receiving a distress call, alerted the 1 Division Nigerian Army and the Air Training Command of the Nigerian Air Force.

“Troops of the Nigerian Army immediately moved to the school and engaged the armed bandits accordingly.

“The troops successfully rescued 180 citizens; 42 female students, eight staff and 130 male students. However, about 30 students, a mix of males and females, are yet to be accounted for.

“Some of the rescued students were injured and presently receiving medical attention at a military facility.”

The commissioner also quoted Nasir el-Rufai, the state governor, as thanking the troops for their “swift response.”

He said a joint team of security personnel are conducting an operation to track the missing students.