Over 180 students and staff of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization in Kaduna State, who were abducted by gunmen in the early hours of Friday, have been rescued by troops of the Nigerian Army.
According to Samuel Aruwan, the State’s Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, the armed bandits stormed the institution around 11:30 pm on Thursday and abducted several students and staff.
He said, “The armed bandits broke into the institution by breaching a perimeter fence. They then encroached about 600 meters to attack the first facility.”
It was reported that the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs had received a distress call during the attack, who in turn, alerted the 1 Division Nigerian Army and the Air Training Command of the Nigerian Air Force.
The security forces immediately deployed to the school, engaged the bandits and succeeded in rescuing 180 persons including; 42 female students, 8 staff and 130 male students.
Some of the victims are reportedly injured and receiving treatment, while some are still uncounted for. A combined team of security officials are carrying out investigations to locate the whereabouts of the remaining missing students.
Reacting to this incident, the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, commended the troops for their quick action in rescuing some of the victims.
He also wished the injured victims a quick recovery.
