Bandits invaded Federal Government College Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State, killed a police officer and kidnapped scores of students.
Most of the kidnapped students were in the Senior Secondary School one and two, taken away in Hilux vans.
The bandits arrived in their large numbers, about 200, armed with sophisticated weapons and stormed the school on Thursday.
It was gathered that a teacher, a vice-principal, the school security officer and a wife of a teacher were together with the students taken to an unknown destination in two Hilux Pick-Up vehicles by bandits who killed a policeman.
Kebbi State police public relations officer, Nafiu Abubakar, confirmed the incident, he said the police engaged the bandits for several hours, before they succeeded in breaking into the school.
He said the number of students taken could not yet be ascertained, but five teachers of the school were kidnapped.
Abubakar, in a statement quoted the state Commissioner of Police, CP Adeleke Adeyinka, as condemning the attack.
He said “the commissioner of police has assured parents and guardians of students that the command is following credible leads and intensifying efforts to track the assailants and ensure the rescue of the missing students and teachers,”
“A combined team of police operatives from the police mobile force, anti-kidnapping and counter-terrorism units are currently combing nearby forests, routes and suspected hideouts of the criminals.”
Press Secretary to the Emir of Yauri, Mallam Ibrahim, also confirmed the incident to newsmen on the phone, He said, “The kidnapper stormed the school and kidnapped both female and male students.
“The principal of the school just called the palace and told His Royal Highness what actually happened. We cannot ascertain the number of students yet,” he added.