TheCable

The Nigerian army says it foiled the attempt of bandits to abduct some students of Turkish International Secondary School in Kaduna. 

The school is located at the Rigachikun axis of the state. 

In a statement on Friday, Mohammed Yerima, army spokesperson, said the troops of the quick response force of division 1 were alerted to protect the school, following a tip-off of a planned attack by bandits. 

Yerima noted that the troops responded to another distress call that bandits had had stormed the Federal School of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Igabi LGA. 

He said the troops responded to the call by swiftly moving to protect the school from bandits, who had gained access by breaking through the perimeter fence. 

The army spokesperson said the rescued students have been evacuated to a safe place, while the injured are presently receiving medical attention at a military facility. 

“The troops swiftly moved to Afaka and decisively engaged the armed bandits. Following the fire fight, troops were able to rescue 180 persons, comprising 132 male students, 40 female students and 8 civilian staff,” he said.

TheCable had reported that dozens of students were abducted during the attack on the school in Afaka in the early hours of Friday.

Meanwhile, Samuel Aruwan, commissioner for internal security, says 39 students were kidnapped on Friday.

In the past weeks, schools in northern Nigeria have witnessed cases of mass abduction of students by bandits.