President Muhammadu Buhari has strongly condemned the bandits’ attack at the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State, charging the army and the police to go after the attackers to ensure that no student gets missing or harmed.
In a statement today, December 12 by the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said the president urged the school authorities to carry out an audit of the population of the students following shootings in and around the school that sent hundreds of them fleeing and scrambling over perimeter walls.
“Parents who rushed to the school and removed their children and wards were also required to notify the school and police authorities in order to have a full account of the school population.
According to the statement President Buhari said the Government prayers are with the families of the students, the school authorities and the injured
President Buhari pledged to continue to support the police and military struggle against terrorists and bandits.
“In the latest briefing received by the President from Governor Aminu Bello Masari, with whom he has been in touch, and the Army Chief of Staff, General Tukur Buratai, the military, supported by airpower has located the bandits’ enclave at Zango/Paula forest in Kankara and there have been exchanging of fire in an ongoing operation. Police said so far, there has not been reported any student casualty.
“The President has directed the reinforcement of security of all schools in line with the safe schools’ policy of the administration.”
Similarly, Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has ordered the immediate closure of all boarding secondary schools following the abduction of students of the Government Science Secondary School Kankara by bandits on Friday.
The Governor, accompanied by his Deputy Alhaji Mannir Yakubu and other government officials, visited the school, where he met with the management, parents, traditional and religious leaders as well as security officials.
The Governor pleaded with the people to be patient and show restraint and understanding, assuring them that government will do every necessary thing to ensure the release of all the abducted students.
He said the already security officials, constituting the military, the police and the Department of State Security had swung into action and are on the trail of the abductors.
