We Are Currently Searching The Forests For Kidnapped Katsina Students – FG

The Nigerian presidency has come out to dispute recent abduction figures tendered by the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari.

Recall that the Katsina State Governor, Masari recently announced that the government has been unable to account for 333 students since the kidnapping.

However, reacting recently, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu revealed that just 10 of the schoolboys are still with the bandits.

He added that some of the returning students debriefed by the military said that 10 of their colleagues were taken by the bandits and the forests, neighbouring villages are presently being searched to find them.

BBC Hausa bulletin had this to say, “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.

“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.”

Shehu added, “Some of the returning students debriefed by the military disclosed that 10 of their colleagues were taken by the bandits. As I said to the BBC, that still needed to be verified.

“Of course this is different from saying that all the others had been been accounted for. The forests and neighboring villages are being searched and parents are being contacted for information about their children.”