By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The presence of the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) did not deter the gunmen who abducted students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation in the Mando area of Kaduna State.
The Mando area, the community where kidnappers who abducted an undisclosed number of students, is a military garrison with a formidable military training school where officers into the Nigerian military are trained.
Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, confirmed the incident to Daily Trust, but did not give the exact number of the students abducted.
He said: “They were abducted last night, we have no details of the number of students,” ASP Jalige said.
Sources who spoke with TheNiche said the kidnappers came about 10pm, shooting their way in and out of the school.
It was also gathered that majority of their victims are the female students whose hostel is close to the school gate. Although some male students were also taken away.
Daily Trust reported that the commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, also confirmed the incident, saying investigation is ongoing.
This is the first time kidnappers would storm a higher institution in Nigeria and abduct students en-masse, and the third major attack on a school in 2021.
In the last two months, kidnappers have abducted students and staff of Government Science Secondary School, Kagara, Niger State, and Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara State.