Kaduna school abduction: We’ll do everything to rescue 287 kidnapped children – Gov Sani

• He disclosed that he had been in touch with security operatives and efforts are ongoing to secure the release of the children

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has said his government will leave no stone unturned to ensure safe return of the children who were kidnapped in the state on Thursday.

Within Nigeria had reported how rampaging bandits terrorising the north west state invaded Government Secondary School (GSS), Kuriga in Chikun Local Government Area of the State and abducted hundreds of hapless students and some staff of the school.

Sani Abdullahi, one of the teachers who fled captivity disclosed that a total of 287 students are still being held by the marauding armed non-state actors

Addressing the community when he visited there on Thursday, the governor said he was deeply worried by the incident, saying he would do everything humanly possible to reunite the children with their family.

He disclosed that he had been in touch with security operatives and efforts are ongoing to secure the release of the children.

He said. “In my capacity as your elected Governor, I am assuring you that by the grace of God, all the children will return unhurt. Before coming here, I spoke with the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu and we are making efforts, the security forces have swung into action and by God’s grace, we will rescue the children.

“We will do whatever we need to do to ensure safe return of these children, even if it means coming to Kuriga to stay with you. The essence of government is protection of citizens lives and property. We recognized the fact that we are holding this position in trust for the people and by God’s grace, we will protect the citizens’ rights. I am one of the prominent voices on the issue of security. When I was in the Senate, I moved the motion for the creation of State Police.

“We have realised that there are not enough boots on ground, that is why we feel that if there is State Police, every community like Kuriga will have people in the Police and they would be armed with AK-47 rifles. That is the only way we would be able to protect the lives and property of the citizens. The vigilantes are not as armed as the bandits, because they don’t have AK-47, that is why the bandits are constantly causing us destructions. They come in to humiliate, kill and abduct our citizens.

“Since I received the sad news of this incident, I have not had rest of mind because every child in Kaduna state is my child. So, I don’t want you people to be disturbed. Let us pray to God to help and on our part as a government, we will not rest until these children return home. We are going to select seven people from this community, who will be part of a committee, where we would be having discussions.”

The governor also promised to establish a Police Station and military camp in the community.