The Presidency has denied reports that 333 students were abducted in the attack of Government Science Secondary School in Kankara, Katsina State last week.
This was disclosed by Aide to the President, Garba Shehu, in an interview with BBC Hausa, reported by Punch.
The Government of Katsina stated on Sunday that they were still on the search for 333 students from the attack.
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“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,” Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina said.
“We are still counting because more are coming out from the forest and we are calling through the numbers those parents that have phone numbers to find out whether or not their children have gone back home.
“We as a government we are yet to be contacted by any group or person responsible for the kidnap of the students,” he added.
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BBC Hausa revealed that the FG admitted that the students were abducted by gunmen; however, it claimed that only 10 students were left with the attackers, contradicting the earlier statement from the Governor of Katsina.
“The Government of Nigeria has said its security forces have surrounded the location where gunmen have kept schoolchildren abducted from a secondary school in Katsina State”
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“Spokesman for the President, Mallam Garba Shehu, told the BBC only 10 children were remaining in the hands of the gunmen according to their colleagues who escaped from the gunmen. The number is below figures released by school authorities at the beginning. Garba Shehu said the school children who escaped said 10 of their friends were still with their abductors.”
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What you should know
- Nairametrics reported this week that the Presidency had announced that the Nigerian military had located bandits responsible for kidnapping students at the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina, at Zango/Paula forest in Kankara.
- Reports on Saturday morning indicated that bandits arrived in motorbikes on Friday evening and abducted hundreds of students.