Go after them, President Buhari orders armed forces, police, to search, rescue abducted students, as he condemns bandits’ attack on Katsina school
President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday strongly condemned the bandits’ attack on 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.
His order for immediate search and rescue of the students and condemnation of the heinous act of bandits in the state were contained in a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, copy of which was sent to The DEFENDER.
According to Shehu, 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.
“I strongly condemn the cowardly bandits’ attack on innocent children at the Science School, Kankara. Our prayers are with the families of the students, the school authorities and the injured,” said President Buhari while pledging 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 air power has located the bandits’ enclave at Zango/Paula forest in Kankara and there have been exchange 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.
