KATSINA: We’re yet to find 333 schoolboys, says Masari

GOVERNOR Aminu Masari of Katsina State has disclosed the exact number of students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara  that are yet to be found.

Masari, who noted that total population of the students in the school is 839, said 333 are still missing.

He made the disclosure in Katsina, when the Minister of Defence, Gen. Salihi Magashi (retd.), led the nation’s service chiefs on a sympathy visit to the state over bandits’ abduction of students of the school on Friday.

Those on the entourage included the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Air Staff, and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency.

The governor said, “The children so far kidnapped cut across the state because the boarding school houses all children from all parts of the state and some even from outside the state.

“It has a population of 839 and so far, we are yet to account for 333 students. We are still counting because more are coming out from the forest and we are calling those parents that have phone numbers to find out whether or not their children have gone back home.

“Based on the available record we have, we are still searching for 333 students through either the forest or their parents to ascertain the actual number that has been kidnapped.”

Masari said the bandits were yet to contact either the government or anybody on the abduction.

He assured that efforts were being made to ensure the students’ release.

He said, “We, as a government, are yet to be contacted by any group or person responsible for the kidnap of the students.”

General Magashi, in his response, assured the state of federal government’s assistance.

He said, “I was here around August on the same kind of mission to sympathise with the government regarding the farmers-herders’ clashes. Today, we are here also to sympathise with you over the recent abduction of secondary school students which is a more or less ruthless exercise conducted to temper with the education of the students.”

The meeting later went into a closed-door session.

Gunmen suspected to be bandits attacked Government Science Secondary School in Katsina State and kidnapped some of the students of the school.

This happened hours after President Buhari arrived I n his hometoeen of Daura on a “private visit”, according to his senior media spokesman, Garba Shehu.

Following the incident, the police claimed to have rescued over 200 students, they didn’t disclose the exact number of students initially kidnapped.