Prior to the abduction, the school had a total population of 839 students
The Governor of Katsina State Aminu Masari, on Sunday, confirmed that a total of 333 students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, are still missing.
The governor stated this while briefing the federal government delegation to Katsina led by Minister of Defence, Salihi Magashi, at the Katsina Government House. The delegation also included the service chiefs.
PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported how the gunmen attacked the school in Kankara and abducted many students.
Residents said the gunmen had earlier attacked Kankara town, injuring many residents but were later repelled by security forces.
The gunmen, in large numbers, on motorbikes, invaded the school’s premises around 11: 00 p.m. Friday night, shooting to scare and kill.
They, thereafter, went away with many students.
The governor also confirmed that the school has a total population of 839 students before the incident happened.
“Based on the available record we have, we are still searching for 333 students through either the forest or their parents to ascertain the actual number that has been kidnapped.
“We are still counting because more are coming out from the forest and we are calling through the numbers those parents that have phone numbers to find out whether or not their children have gone back home,” Mr Masari said.
Earlier, Mr Magashi asked the armed forces, the police and other security agencies to move faster to ensure the speedy rescue of the students in the next coming hours.
The minister said “we are here also to sympathise with you over the recent abduction of secondary school students which is a more or less ruthless exercise conducted to temper with the education of the students.”
“With the brief, we received from the sister security agencies in the state, this task will be very simple to accomplish within the next few hours, we will ensure that these people are back without any collateral damage to the people of Katsina State.”
The Katsina incident is the latest such attacks by armed bandits in the state. Hundreds of people have been killed and kidnapped in bandits attack in Katsina and other Northwest states this year.
The latest attack occurred while President Muhammadu Buhari was on a working visit to Katsina.