How Gunmen overpowered cops, abducted many in Kebbi federal school

On Thursday some gunmen armed with sophisticated weapons stormed the Federal Government College Birnin Yauri in Kebbi State, kidnapping scores of students and four others.

According to reports, a teacher, a vice-principal, the school security officer and a wife of a teacher were together with the students taken to an unknown destination in two Hilux Pick-Up vehicles by bandits who killed a policeman.

A teacher in the school, who spoke to The PUNCH on condition of anonymity, said most of the kidnapped students were in the Senior Secondary School one and two.

One of the sources stated, “The kidnappers invaded the school at 10am and killed one security agent attached to the school and injured a student.

“The kidnappers in their large numbers overpowered a team of mobile policemen that attempted to repel the attack.

“Shortly after the gun battle with the police, the kidnappers broke into the school and whisked away some students and four others in two Hilux vehicles to an unknown destination.

“Following the attack, the whereabouts of at least three staff members and a wife of a teacher have yet to be ascertained. The school is still collating the number of abducted students.”

The Press Secretary to the Emir of Yauri, Mallam Ibrahim, who confirmed the incident to newsmen on the phone, said, “The kidnapper stormed the school and kidnapped both females and male students.

“The principal of the school just called the palace and told His Royal Highness what actually happened. We cannot ascertain the number of students yet,” he added.

The state police command spokesman, Nariu Abubakar, in a statement quoted the state Commissioner of Police, CP Adeleke Adeyinka, as condemning the attack.

He stated, “The commissioner of police has assured parents and guardians of students that the command is following credible leads and intensifying efforts to track the assailants and ensure the rescue of the missing students and teachers.

“A combined team of police operatives from the police mobile force, anti-kidnapping and counter-terrorism units are currently combing nearby forests, routes and suspected hideouts of the criminals.”