Rose Onda
No fewer than 172 students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State have been rescued alongside eight staff members.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, disclosed this via a statement issued on Friday.
He said troops of the Nigerian Army in the early hours of Friday rescued the victims comprising 130 male students and 42 female students.
The commissioner also noted that 30 students comprising of male and female are still unaccounted for.
He said “Troops of the Nigerian Army immediately moved to the school and engaged the armed bandits accordingly,” he said.
“The troops successfully rescued 180 citizens; 42 female students, eight staff and 130 male students. However, about 30 students, a mix of males and females, are yet to be accounted for.”
Meanwhile, a joint team of Army, Air Force, Police and DSS troops are conducting an operation to track the missing students.
According to Aruwan, “some of the rescued students were injured and presently receiving medical attention at a military facility.”
Receiving the report, the commissioner noted that Governor Nasir El-Rufai “thanked the troops for their swift response and the rescue of the 180 citizens. He also wished the injured students a speedy recovery.”
It was reported earlier how gunmen attacked the Federal College of Forestry Mechanism in Mando area of Kaduna State in Thursday night, kidnapping an unknown number of students and staff.