Kaduna Students Were Sitting Ducks

Without a single police station to its name and only two military checkpoints in the two-hour journey that leads to Kaduna city, Kuriga in Chikun LGA and its hundreds of primary and secondary school students were as good as sitting ducks waiting to be kidnapped.

Investigations by LEADERSHIP Weekend also showed that there is virtually no telecommunication network in the village and its surrounding environs further isolating and making it easy prey for kidnappers.

And according to the narrative of a teacher who escaped, the abducted party was taken away on foot and led into a nearby bush suggesting they couldn’t have ventured far and could easily be traced by security operatives.

LEADERSHIP Weekend also spoke with security experts on how such an abduction could have taken place and what it would take to transport the large number of students to a different location by cars, buses or motorcycles.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend, a retired police officer, Moses Ijeh said the proximity of Kaduna to Abuja is why the government must ensure that such things don’t happen.

He also questioned how bandits could attack a school in an isolated area in Kaduna State and move over 200 students without any trace or rescue attempt up till the time of this report.

He however called for the immediate rescue of the students and teachers before it turns to another issue like the case of the Chibok girls.

Also speaking, another security expert, Iyke Odife said it is practically unimaginable that such abduction could happen in Kaduna State with all the security operatives there.

He suggested that anything short of the immediate rescue of the victims could be dangerous.

This is just as Kaduna has started to emerge as the state with the highest number of attacks on schools and incidents of mass kidnappings.

There have been no fewer than six attacks on schools in the state in the last three years, where some lost their lives and millions of naira were paid as ransom by parents and relatives.

On March 11, 2021 no fewer than 30 students of the Federal College of Forestry, Afaka in Igabi local government area of the state were also kidnapped, and four days later, March 15, bandits attacked another school on a Monday morning and abducted students and teachers from Universal Basic Education (UBE) Primary School in Rama, a village in Birnin Gwari LGA of the state.

That abduction, according to a villager who simply identified himself as Sanusi, happened just as the pupils were coming into the school between 8:35 and 9am.

Again, on April 20, same year, another set of about 20 students were kidnapped from the Greenfield University.

Some were killed and those freed had their parents and communities part ways with huge sums as ransom.

Again, on July 5, 2021, bandits stormed the Bethel Baptist School and kidnapped 121 students in Kujama of Chikun LGA of the state. It took payment of monies in millions to secure their release with the last of the kidnapped students being released in November 2023 after two years in captivity. This recent abduction of over 250 pupils and staff of LEA School in Kuriga of Chikun LGA of Kaduna State was reportedly done in broad daylight.

Prior to this latest attack and Kidnap, Kaduna – Birnin Gwari Road had almost become a no-go-area sequel to activities of bandits. Most times, it takes arrangement by traders with security escorts on specific days to go through that route.

Investigation revealed that Kuriga has a poor telecommunication network and there is no police station in the area.

Further checks revealed that, from Kaduna city to Kuriga a journey of over two hours on the road, only two major military checkpoints were sited, although locals said some minor checkpoints in the village were mounted by community vigilantes. One of such military checkpoints is mounted around Buruku and another one in udawa.

On the latest attack, one of the teachers of Government Secondary School Kuriga, Sani Abdullahi who explained how bandits invaded the combined primary and secondary and whisked away about 280 pupils, students and teachers after his escape.

In his account of the incident, “I resumed school today at 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 they were many and the pupils and students in their large numbers were following us. So, when we entered the bush, I was lucky to escape alongside many other people.

Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani after visiting the scene of the incident gave the assurance that all the kidnapped victims would be returned unharmed.

He also disclosed that he was in touch with the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu and “security forces have swung into action and by God’s grace, we will rescue the children.”

In his words to the villagers, “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 realized that there are not enough boots on ground, that is why we feel that, with 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, that is why the bandits are constantly causing destruction. They come in to humiliate, kill and abduct our citizens.

While addressing the community members, Governor Sani also promised to establish a Police Station and build a permanent camp for the military in the community.

The community members who trooped out to receive the Governor at the Village Head’s palace applauded Governor Sani for personally coming down to Kuriga to identify with them during the trying moment.

The Kaduna scenario of attacks on schools and subsequent abduction, and in some cases, killing, is a challenge that needs to be addressed holistically. It is imperative that more security checkpoints be mounted on vulnerable areas while confidence of students and parents alike must be built on safe school environments.

Tinubu Vows Rescue Of Abducted IDPs In Borno, Students In Kaduna

President Bola Tinubu has condemned the heinous incidents of abduction involving very vulnerable victims, internally-displaced persons in Borno State, and students in Kaduna State.

The president in a statement by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale directed security and intelligence agencies to immediately rescue the victims and ensure that justice is served against the perpetrators of these abominable acts.

“I have received briefing from security chiefs on the two incidents, and I am confident that the victims will be rescued.

Nothing else is acceptable to me and the waiting family members of these abducted citizens. Justice will be decisively administered,” President Tinubu said.

The President sympathized with the families of the victims, assuring them that they would soon be reunited with their loved ones.

Kaduna: Chief Of Army Staff Storms Kuriga To Rescue 280 Students

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, has stormed Kaduna State and deployed heavy troops to rescue the about 280 kidnapped pupils and teachers of Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School, Kuriga in Chikun local government area abducted by bandits.

Government and security sources who pleaded anonymity told LEADERSHIP Weekend that the army chief with his troops have commenced operations to free the kidnapped students.

One of the sources said: “What I can tell is that the Chief of Army staff and troops are on operational visit to Kuriga. That’s the only thing I can tell you for now.”

However, investigations revealed that Kuriga, a big settlement with poor telecommunication network, has no police station, although the settlement has vigilantes safeguarding them.

Further checks revealed that, from Kaduna city to Kuriga, a journey of over two hours on the road, has two major military checkpoints before the kidnap incident.

The locals said some minor checkpoints in the village were being mounted by community vigilantes.

The Kuriga abduction is the latest in continuous attacks by bandits across schools especially in the North West region.