Two hundred students who fled for safety on Friday night after bandits attacked the Government Science Secondary School, Ƙanƙara in Katsina State, have been safely returned.
The Police Spokesperson, Gambo Isah and the Principal of the school, Usman Abubakar confirmed this on Saturday.
This comes amid reports that hundreds were abducted during the raid.
Although the school and police authorities are yet to confirm reports of an abduction or casualties, Abubakar said the management and the police are currently conducting a headcount of the students.
“Precisely we cannot ascertain the number of students kidnapped until later in the day as some of the students are now resurfacing from the nearby bush. We are currently taking the attendance. Some of them went straight to their various houses with their parents calling us that their children are at home,” Abubakar noted.
Giving his own account, the police spokesperson said: “what happened was that yesterday around 11:30 pm, we had a report that Bandits in their numbers armed with AK 47 Rifles attacked the Government Science Secondary School Ƙanƙara.
“There was opportunity that our policemen engaged the Bandits in a gun duel. Many of the students escaped from the school. So, this morning the DPO found over 200 of the students and returned them back to the school. We are still counting the figures in order to ascertain whether or not actually the Bandits were able to kidnap any of the students.
“Already we have policemen that were posted in that school. So, there was exchange of fire between our policemen and the Bandits. Infact, they shot one of our policeman that got injured and he has been taken to the hospital and is responding to treatment.”
Armed with sophisticated weapons, the bandits stormed the school in their numbers and attacked the students in an operation that last for about an hour.