There is heightened apprehension in Kaduna State following the kidnap of over 280 pupils and teachers of LEA Primary School in Kuriga, Chikun local government area.
The victims, who also include students of Government Secondary School, Kuriga, were abducted yesterday morning by suspected bandits.
The incident, according to sources, occurred at about 8am within the school premises.
The head teacher of the school and some other staff members were reportedly among the victims abducted.
Figures released by one of the teachers, who escaped the attack, showed that187 students of the secondary school and 125 pupils of the primary school in the same area were kidnapped from the school.
The teacher said, “At GSS Kuriga, 187 students are at present missing. In the primary school, 125 pupils were initially missing, but 25 of them escaped and returned home.”
A resident, Shitu, confirmed the incident, saying most of the pupils ran out of their classes when they sighted the bandits at the school premises.
Another resident, Lawal Kuriga, also told journalists that the abducted victims were marched into the forest.
Responding to the incident, the senator that represented Kaduna Central in the 8th National Assembly, Senator Shehu Sani, on his official Twitter handle, now X, said the bandits invaded LEA Primary School, Kuriga town and kidnapped 232 pupils.
The senator also recalled that a school principal, Idris Sufyan, from the same town, was killed and his wife kidnapped over a month ago.
Senator Sani tweeted on his social media account: “It’s tragic to hear that 232 students have just been kidnapped in Kuriga village, Chikun LG in Kaduna State. It’s the same village where a school principal, Idris Sufyan was killed and his wife kidnapped over a month ago. However, I’m optimistic their freedom will be secured.
How Students/Pupils Were Kidnapped – Teacher
One of the teachers of Government Secondary School, Kuriga, Sani Abdullahi has narrated how bandits invaded the joint secondary and primary and whisked away about 280 pupils and teachers.
He told the story when the state governor, Uba Sani, led senior government officials and security top brass to the scene of the kidnap attack yesterday evening.
The teacher said: “I resumed school today (yesterday) at exactly 7:47am. I entered the acting principal’s office and signed. All of a sudden, the acting principal asked me to look at my back and when I turned, we discovered that bandits had surrounded the school premises.
“We became confused, we didn’t know where to go. Then, the bandits asked us to enter the bush, so we obeyed them because there were many and the pupils/students who were about 700 were following us. So, when we entered the bush, I was lucky to escape alongside many other people.
“So, I returned to the village and reported what happened to the community. So, immediately our vigilantes and personnel of KADVS followed the bandits, but the vigilantes did not succeed, in fact, the bandits killed one of the vigilantes. We just buried him.
“It was when we came back from that pursuit that we briefed the village head and we started making efforts to know the actual number of pupils and teachers taken away by the bandits.
“At GSS Kuriga, 187 students are at present missing. In the primary school, 125 pupils were initially missing, but 25 of them escaped and retired home,” he said.
All Abducted Children Will Return, Governor Sani Vows
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has stated that he has the assurance of national security adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu and other security agencies that the kidnapped pupils and students would be brought back safely.
Governor Sani, who rushed to the Kuriga community yesterday evening to assess the situation, met with the parents of the kidnapped pupils.
Sani in a brief interview said: “We sat down with parents of the school children that were kidnapped. Just an hour ago, I discussed it with the national security adviser and he assured me. I also spoke with the GOC I Division and he assured me; the commissioner of police and all security agencies are working together to bring them back. All of them will come back by the grace of God,” he said.
Sani said, ”In my capacity as your elected Governor, I am assuring you that, by the grace of God, all the children will return unhurt.
“Before coming here, I spoke with the national security adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu and we are making efforts; the security forces have swung into action and, by God’s grace, we will rescue the children.
“We will do whatever we need to do to ensure the safe return of these children, even if it means coming to Kuriga to stay with you. The essence of government is protection of citizens’ lives and property. We recognise the fact that we are holding this position in trust for the people and, by God’s grace, we will protect the citizens’ rights.
“I am one of the prominent voices on the issue of security. When I was in the Senate, I moved the motion for the creation of State Police. We have realised that there are not enough boots on ground; that is why we feel that, if State Police, every community like Kuriga will have people in the police and they would be armed with AK47 rifles. That is the only way we would be able to protect the lives and property of the citizens.
“The vigilantes are not as armed as the bandits, because they do not have AK47, which is why the bandits are constantly causing us destruction. They come in to humiliate, kill and abduct our citizens,” Sani said.
Northern Elders Raise Concern Over Rising Kidnapping Cases
In a swift reaction to the incident, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has expressed its deep concern over the escalating security crisis in the North, even as he lamented the alarming increase in school abductions.
The NEF said the recent attack and mass abductions in Kuriga village, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State had again brought to the forefront the grave security challenges facing Northern Nigeria.
NEF, in a strongly worded statement signed by Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, director of publicity and advocacy, condemned the heinous act.
“This incident, where over 280 students and teachers were kidnapped from LEA Primary School further underscores the fragile state of security in the nation,” the statement read.
The NEF lamented the fact that the abduction of schoolchildren had now become a common occurrence in Northern Nigeria, posing a serious threat to education in the region.
He went on: “This reprehensible act not only violates the fundamental rights of these innocent children to education but also instills fear and anxiety among parents and educators.
“The recent wave of school abductions, where innocent children are being taken from their schools, is particularly distressing. These incidents not only traumatise the victims and their families but also undermine the educational system and the future of the nation,” the forum said.
The group emphasized the need for a collaborative effort between the government, security agencies, and local communities to ensure the safety and security of all Nigerians.
“It is clear that the current security situation is a matter of grave concern, and it is imperative that all stakeholders work together to find lasting solutions to these challenges,” NEF said.
The NEF also highlighted the broader implications of such acts of violence on the fabric of Nigerian society, stressing that the continuous occurrence of kidnappings, killings, armed robberies, and violent attacks, not just in the rural areas but even in the federal capital, is a stark reminder of the pervasive insecurity that plagues the nation. It is a tragic reality that Nigerians are living under constant fear of being targeted by criminal elements.
“The abduction of 280 students in Kuriga village is particularly distressing, considering that it is the same community where a school principal was killed and his wife kidnapped just over a month ago. Such brazen acts of violence demonstrate the brazen disregard for human life and the rule of law by the perpetrators of these crimes,” NEF said.
It warned that this state of lawlessness is unacceptable and called for urgent action to restore security and peace in the affected areas.
“This condemnation should serve as a clarion call for the government and security agencies to take proactive measures to protect schools, communities, and vulnerable populations in the North. It is imperative that all necessary resources and strategies are deployed to ensure the safe return of the abducted students and teachers and to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.”
Reps Call For Rescue Of 300 Borno Women IDPs
In a related development, the House of Representatives on Thursday called on security agencies to rescue the 300 women kidnapped in Borno State while fetching firewood in the bush.
This was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Bama/Ngala/Kalabalge Federal Constituency of Borno State, Hon. Zainab Gimba.
Moving the motion, the lawmaker described the abduction as worrisome like the April 2014 abduction of school girls in Chibok, in Borno State.
She said: “I want to bring to the notice of the House that about 300 women were abducted while fetching firewood for domestic and commercial purposes in my constituency. I am calling on security agencies to, as a matter of urgency, see to the rescue of these women who went in search of their daily bread.
“This is the second biggest number of abduction after the Chibok girls’ abduction that took place in 2014 even though some of those girls are still in captivity.”
In his remarks, the deputy speaker, Benjamin Kalu who presided over the plenary session, described the incident as a sad development and called on security agencies to step up their search for the abducted women.
“We, as a House, are pained that the families of the abducted persons are going through what they are going through at the moment.
In the spirit of the International Women’s Day Celebration tomorrow (Friday), we pray that these women and those still in captivity be freed from their abductors. There is no better way to celebrate Women’s Day without calling for the protection and release of these women,” he stated.
House seeks security education in school curriculum
Meanwhile, the House has sought the incorporation of security education as a core subject in Nigeria’s primary and secondary school curriculum.
This followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Omirin Emmanuel Olusanyo from Osun state who said security education will prepare students for contemporary challenges in security, ranging from economic, political, social and environmental threats.
RELATED How Bandits Kidnapped Kaduna Primary School Pupils — Teacher
He referred to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report that since 2018, over 30 schools have been attacked, resulting in at least 2,295 teacher deaths and over 1,000 child abductions.
He further stated that the idea was germane due to the recurrent attacks and threats against Nigerian educational institutions, teachers, and pupils which are causing a negative impact on educational quality, teacher turnover, and perpetuating a culture of impunity.
“Due to the escalating insecurity in the country, it has become imperative for children to learn defence mechanisms, master first-aid-principles and emergency handling skills,” he argued.
