UPDATED: Bandits attack another Zamfara School, abduct students

By our reporter/ Bandits on Wednesday attacked another Zamfara school, Kaya Day Secondary College and abducted a yet-to-be ascertained number of students.

The incident occurred at about 11am on Wednesday in Maradun Local Government Area of the state.

A government source who confirmed the attack on the condition he will not be identified, explained that the assailants invaded the school in a large number and left with the students to an undisclosed location.

A resident of the community also confirmed that the armed men stormed the school around 11:30am when the students were writing examination.

“They blocked the doors to the classrooms and asked the students to step out.”

“Some of the students managed to escape the assault by jumping out of classrooms through the windows to hide inside nearby sorghum plantations,” the resident said.

Meanwhile, the Zamfara police command has confirmed that 73 students were abducted from the school.

According to a statement on Wednesday by Mohammed Shehu, the Zamfara police spokesman, a search-and-rescue team has been deployed to find the students.

“The Zamfara state police command wishes to confirm the abduction of 73 students of Government Day Secondary school, Kaya in Maradun LGA. The abduction followed the invasion of the school by large number of armed bandits that occurred today at exactly 1122hrs,” the statement reads.

“The command under the leadership of CP Ayuba N Elkanah psc+ has deployed search and rescue team that was mandated to work in synergy with the military to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted students.”

Shehu said the police commissioner appealed to the general public, especially parents and relatives of the abducted students, to be patient and continue to pray for the success of the ongoing rescue operation.

“Security has also been been beefed up at Kaya Village and environs to forestall further attack on the communities,” he added.

“Further development will be made known to members of the public.”

Following the attack, Bello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara, has ordered the closure of all schools in the state.

The development comes a few days after some students abducted in the state were released by the bandits.