The Nigerian army didn’t rescue 180 students and staff allegedly kidnapped by bandits at the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna as claimed by the state government, SaharaReporters has gathered.
Bandits had on Thursday night invaded the school and abducted some students.
However, Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs in the state in a statement on Friday claimed 42 female students, 130 male students and eight staff members were rescued by Nigerian soldiers.
However, one of the students said to have been rescued by the military, told SaharaReporters that the soldiers only counted those who came out of hiding after the bandits had left and moved them to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) campus, which is close to the institution.
He said the gunmen, numbering about 80, broke into the school premises through its perimeter fence at the back.
He added that the bandits attacked the male hostel not far from the fence before heading to the female hostel, where they kidnapped most of their victims.
“They lied, how did they rescue people that were not kidnapped at all? They arrived at the school about 30 minutes after the gunmen had left. So who were those rescued by them?
“They came and moved those of us who went into hiding when the bandits attacked us to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) campus and claimed they rescued us. How? They didn’t meet the bandits when they came here talkless of engaging (let alone engage) them in a gun battle.
“It was after the bandits had left with those kidnapped that they arrived, then they counted those of us they met on the campus and moved us away,” the student told SaharaReporters.