Armed men have abducted six schoolgirls and two teachers after raiding a private secondary school in Kaduna State, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

The attackers stormed Engravers College, a mixed-gender school in Sabo, Chikun Local Government Area, at about 12:10 a.m., the school’s bursar, Elvis Allah-Yaro, told PREMIUM TIMES.

A mother told PREMIUM TIMES her 16-year-old senior secondary school two student was amongst those abducted at the college.

“Security personnel have started investigation and search for the girls and the two staff members that were kidnapped,” Mr Allah-Yaro said by telephone Thursday afternoon. He added that the Kaduna State commissioner in charge of security had arrived the scene and coordinating rescue efforts with security.

The school official confirmed six students and two staff members abducted.
A spokesperson for the police in Kaduna, Yakubu Sabo, said in a statement to PREMIUM TIMES that multiple units of the police have been activated in the wake of the attack.

The police anti-kidnapping unit, the special anti-robbery squad and conventional police have all been “mobilised to the area for possible rescue of the victims and arresting the perpetrators of the unfortunate incident” he said. “Intelligent Response Team (IRT) has been contacted for technical support.”

The police spokesperson urged private school authorities to ensure prompt report of “suspicious persons” around their premises “to forestall future occurrence of ugly incidents.”

The development came as many parts of Kaduna State remained under attack from armed bandits. Hundreds of people have been abducted in the state this year alone, with most of the abductions being reported on Abuja-Kaduna Highway.

The major highway has been left largely unused by travellers, as abductions continue largely unabated despite efforts by the military, police and other law enforcement authorities.