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Some bandits were reported to have invaded the LEA Primary School, Kuriga in the troubled Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, kidnapping scores of pupils on Thursday morning.
A source, who is a resident of the area, said no fewer than 100 pupils were taken away by the bandits who stormed the town in large numbers.
It was also gathered that the head teacher of the school as well as other staff mrmbers were among those abducted by the hoodlums.
PUNCH Online learnt that the incident happened around 8am on Thursday shortly after assembly.
Residents said the bandits invaded the Gonin-Gora in the troubled same Chikun LGA, forcing residents to barricade the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway protesting the abduction of an unspecified number of people in the area.
The residents had stormed the highway protesting and urging the government to do something about the incessant attacks by bandits in the area.
The kidnappers on Wednesday night through the early hours of Thursday had attacked the community, kidnapping unspecified numbers of the residents.
The incident which eyewitnesses said happened from 11 pm to 3 am Thursday, forced residents to troop out to protest what they described as the audacity of the hoodlums in attacking the area.
“Shortly after the assembly, the pupils in their hundreds ran out of their classes after sighting the hoodlums in large numbers on the school premises. They ran in different directions,” a resident, Adamu Shehu, told our correspondent on the telephone.
Also, speaking, another resident who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the bandits kidnapped many of the pupils as well as staff members and headed for the forest.
Although there was no official statement from the government or the state police command, it was learnt that no fewer than 200 pupils both in the primary and secondary schools located in the area, were abducted by the bandits.
It was gathered that a military formation is close to where the incident occurred at Kuriga 1 near the troubled Birnin-Gwari but in Chikun LGA.
Punch correspondent also learnt that villagers are fleeing the area for fear of the bandits’ returns.
Senator Shehu Sani who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th National Assembly, expressed concern over the latest incident.
He said no fewer than 232 were abducted by the hoodlums.
According to him, Kuriga is the same village where a school principal, Idris Sufyan, was killed and his wife kidnapped over a month ago.
Sani tweeted: “It’s tragic to hear that 232 students have just been kidnapped in Kuriga village, Chikun Local Government in Kaduna state.
“It’s the same village where a school principal, Idris Sufyan, was killed and his wife kidnapped over a month ago. However, I’m optimistic their freedom will be secured.”
However, a government official said there would be an official reaction from the government in due course.
