The Kaduna State Government has said that bandits stormed Government Science Secondary School, Ikara, Ikara Local Government Area, in an attempt to kidnap students, but the students utilized the security warning system in place, and were thus able to alert security forces.

The State Commissioner, Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, while briefing newsmen on Sunday on the security update of the state explained that, “Between the late hours of Saturday night and the early hours of today, suspected bandits stormed the Government Science Secondary School, Ikara, Ikara Local Government Area, in an attempt to kidnap the students.

“Fortunately, the students utilized the security warning system in place, and were thus able to alert security forces in the area. The security forces comprising the troops of the Nigerian Army, Police and some security volunteers moved swiftly to the school and engaged the bandits, forcing them to flee.”

He stated that the military and the police were still on the trail of the armed bandits.

He explained that following a head count by the school management, the Kaduna State Government confirmed that all 307 students have been verified safe and present, stressing that the attempted kidnap was foiled completely and no student was taken from the school.

Samuel Aruwan further explained that similarly, around Ifira village in Igabi Local Government Area, bandits attempted to attack a senior staff quarters around the Kaduna Airport general area.

He noted that the attempt was also foiled as troops of the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Army engaged and repelled them, with several of them escaping with gunshot wounds.

According to him, the Kaduna State Government acknowledges the efforts of the security agencies in the recent rescue of 180 students in the vicinity of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, pointing out that these efforts have being mentioned in interviews given by some of the rescued students.