A fresh set of six school girls and three ‘motor boys, abducted by bandits have been rescued by troops of Operation Thunder Strike Thursday.
The rescue is coming on the heels of the lack of word on the principal of another secondary school in Kajuru who was kidnapped midweek from his home while his wife looked on.
The gunmen reportedly attacked the Government Technical Secondary School, Mararaban Kajuru in Kajuru Local Government Area of the state. They abducted the principal of the school around 1:00 am Thursday morning.
These girls are not the same as those kidnapped by a different set of bandits with two teachers (one is actually a matron). The rescued set are students of Government Day Secondary School Gwagwada in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
They were abducted same day on their way to school, according to an Army spokesman.
The Deputy Director Public Relations of 1Division Nigeria Army Kaduna, Col. Ezindu Idimah, said four suspected bandits were neutralised by the troops In different operations within the forests of Chikun Local Government Area of the State.
It is in the same local government area that Engravers Secondary School, where the first set of female students were abducted from with their teacher and matron. Kaduna Police Commissioner, Ali Janga, has already announced the Police know the location of the eight as parents, relations, and security forces negotiate and await their release or rescue.
Said Col. Idimah of the rescue of the six girls and three motor boys: “The Troops who were on routine patrol in the general area received information from a reliable source that some bandits terrorizing the Abuja-Kaduna highway have waylaid some students on their way to school and abducted them.
“Troops immediately swung into action and gave the bandits a hot chase.
“On sighting the troops, the bandits engaged them in a firefight but had to surrender to the superior firepower of the troops.
“Following the firefight, one of the bandits was neutralized while the rest scampered into different directions of the forest with gun shot wounds.”
According to him, one AK47 rifle with seven rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and a pump action gun with ten cartridges were recovered by the troops.
The troops are still combing the entire forest in search of the bandits, he said.
Idimah adds, “In a related development, troops also dealt decisively with bandits in an ambush at Soho Gaya in Chikun Local Government Area at about 10 am this morning.
“During the ambush, two bandits were neutralized while one rifle was recovered.
“Additionally, at about 10:45am, troops pursued bandits into one of the forests in Chukun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“During the pursuit one of the bandits was neutralized while 2 AK 47 riffles, one pump action and 3 Magazines were recovered.
“The success recorded has buoyed up troops morale who expressed enthusiasm in sustaining the onslaught against the bandits and other criminal elements within the Division Area of Responsibility.”