Bandits kidnap students in Kaduna as two soldiers feared dead

They attacked Bethel Secondary School in Maramara, Chickun Local Government Area on the outskirts of the Kaduna State capital.

Kaduna Police Command could not immediately confirm the number of students abducted.

It however said joint security team comprising the Police, Army and others rescued 17 of the abducted students.

The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Muhammed Jalige said: “Yes, I can confirm to you that there was an incident at the school but the joint security team comprising the Police, Army and others have rescued 17 students.

“We cannot say this is the number of students kidnapped for now. As soon as that information is available, we will issue a statement.”

The boarding school, according to one of its security guards, Mr. Daniel Muhuta, came under the attack around 1:00am

According to him: “I escaped narrowly myself. They came around 1.00am and started shooting. I was at the back of the school dormitory when I heard the gunshots and decided to hide.”

A source from Marmara told newsmen that many students were kidnapped but four escaped and ran back to the school.

According him: “The students told us that two soldiers were shot by the bandits, they could not confirm if the soldiers are still alive or not.

“It is difficult to say this is the number of students that were abducted.

“Even the students that escaped were still in state of confusion and could not tell the number of their mates the bandits went away with.”

Security personnel were said to have cordoned off the area as parents and relatives of the kidnapped students besieged the school.