By Gabriel Udeh Kaduna
Pandamenium ensued Friday as armed bandits in facemask reportedly invaded Government Secondary School located in a densely populated area of Unguwan Sariki, Kaduna main town in Kaduna state.
Popularly known as Black and White, the Secondary School, also located in the U/Sariki Ward and family resident of Governor Nasir El-rufai, was invaded where final year Students were waiting for their National Examination Council of Nigeria (NECO), question papers on Friday morning of 23rd July 2021.
The “Voice of Liberty”, radio reported that the students and teachers scampered for safety for fear of been kidnapped by the gunmen during the invasion.
Confusion also ensued as Motorists and pedestrians took unsual routes and to their heels to escape the gunmen as many were loudly shouting kidnappers.
The gunmen, according to the Principal of the school, Hajiya Bilkisu Aliyu, were said to have trailed the NECO Supervisor’s vehicle from a commercial bank along Alkali road close to Murtala Square where she collected the examination question papers and answer sheets to the school premises.
Suspecting money, the bandits gave her a hot chase, and on arrival in the school premises, demanded she handover the bulk of the wrapped papers to them, and threatened to shoot her. Even though she was trembling and shouting it was not money, the bandits snatched the papers and disappeared into the thin air, while the students and teachers also ran for their lives in different directions to escape from the scene.
When apprehensive parents heard rumored kidnapping of their children they trooped into the school. “The Principal had an herculean task controlling and explaining to them the real situation.
Even though the school is located in middle of the Kaduna metropolis, it lacks security as the perimeter fence is porous and can be accessed from different parts, while the main entrance gate was in bad shape.”Though the Principal declined comment on record, on ground that she cannot speak without clearance from the state ministry of education, calls put through to the Commissioner of Education Dr Shehu Makarfi were not answered and later rejected and he never got back to Voice of Liberty.
“The NECO staff mopped up papers from their office and other examination centers to ensure the examination went unhindered.
“The school was said to have received threat letter from kidnappers in the past which led to the its closure for sometimes before it was reopened for academic activities.
