In 2021 Alone, Bandits Have Kidnapped 204 Students From 5 Schools In Kaduna – Police

The Kaduna State Command of the Nigeria Police has revealed that bandits have kidnapped 204 students from 5 schools in Kaduna between January 2021 till date.

The State Commissioner of Police, Umar Muri made the disclosure while briefing the Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman who was on an operational visit to the state.

He listed the affected schools as College of Forestry and Mechanisation, Mando Afaka, Green Field University along Kaduna-Abuja Highway, Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, The National Centre for Tuberculosis and Leprosy Saye, Zaria, and Bethel Baptist Academy, Maraban Rido.

The CP lamented that many criminal activities including kidnapping, culpable homicide, armed robbery, cattle rustling, rape, human trafficking and other lesser crimes comprising of obtaining money by false pretence, criminal breach of trust, cheating, criminal trespass, theft, mischief among others have become rampant in the state.

He noted however that the operatives are not giving up in their constitutional roles of securing and protecting the lives and property of citizens.

Muri said: “From our records, the schools that have been attacked and students abducted in Kaduna State from January 2021 to date alone include:-

“College of Forestry and Mechanisation, Mando Afaka –where thirty-seven (37) students were kidnapped on 11th March, 2021 and subsequently rescued.

“Green Field University along Kaduna-Abuja Highway where twenty-three (23) Students were kidnapped on 20th April, 2021 and five (5) of the students were gruesomely killed by their abductors while the rest were released.

“Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria where two (2) kidnapping incidents were recorded, first involving three (3) students on 14th December, 2020 who were later released by their abductors and the second incident was recorded on the 10th of June 2021 involving two (2) lecturers and seven (7) students.

“The National Centre for Tuberculosis and Leprosy Saye, Zaria LGA of Kaduna where eight (8) staff were kidnapped on 4th July, 2021; and

“Bethel Baptist Academy, Maraban Rido, Kaduna where one hundred and thirty-five (135) students were kidnapped on 5th July, 2021 out of which twenty-eight (28) were rescued and the remaining one hundred and seven (107) victims still in captivity.”

Meanwhile, bandits have released the kidnapped six students and two staff members of Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic in the Zaria area of Kaduna State.

Naija News had reported the bandits had attacked the polytechnic on June 11, 2021, kidnapping the students, staff members and killing one student during the operation.

But in an interview with Channels Television on Friday, the spokesman of the institution, Abdullahi Shehu, said the victims were released on Thursday night at an undisclosed location in Kaduna.