Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has vowed to secure the release of all the students of LEA Primary and Secondary School in Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area of the state, who were abducted by bandits on Thursday, March 7, 2024.
The governor made the pledge when he visited the community to commiserate with them over the incident.
Sani however said the total number of those kidnapped has not been ascertained, adding that the government was working with the school management and the community to get the actual number of the abducted students.
He told the community members that he had received assurances of support from President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to get the abducted students back home safely.
Governor Sani urged the community members not to despair but to work with the government to secure the release of the students and reinforce security there.
Sani appealed to the parents of the abducted students to exercise patience, assuring that the government would not let them down.
Bandits invade Kaduna school, kidnap pupils
The governor said he was pained over the incident and would not relent in getting the primary and secondary school pupils and students reunited with their parents.
Sani was briefed by the District Head, Lawal Abdullahi, on the incident at the LEA Primary and Secondary School in Kuriga, where a valiant vigilante member who confronted the bandits was killed.
The governor added: “A security committee will be established in Kuriga, with membership drawn from key stakeholders in Kuriga community, security agencies, and the state government.
“I will make a strong case to the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff for the establishment of a military base in Kuriga to strengthen security in the area.”
Sani, in a statement issued after the visit, said the incident has reinforced the need for state police.
H said: “The unfortunate Kuriga incident reinforces our positions in support of the establishment of state police.
“With state police, there will be a standing Police Force in Kuriga drawn from members of the community who understand the terrain, the people, and the issues at play.
“They can gather intelligence with ease. They will also be constitutionally empowered to bear arms, including sophisticated ones.
“This is important because vigilante groups are not allowed to carry arms. They are always at the mercy of these criminal elements who have scant regard for human life.”
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