FREED KATSINA SCHOOLBOYS: WE WENT WITHOUT FOOD FOR 2 DAYS

…on day 3, kidnappers gave us kuli kuli, uncooked potatoes
•Don’t be deterred by your bitter experience, Buhari tells students
•FG: Boko Haram lied, schoolboys were kidnapped by bandits
…President coordinated operation leading to rescue
•Come clean on abduction –PDP
•Shehu admits error on number

Fresh insights emerged last night on the harrowing ordeal experienced by the rescued 344 schoolboys of Government Science Secondary School Kankara, Katsina State, as three of the students recounted how they were forced to trek for almost 10 hours from the Friday night, when they were abducted at10.15pm (December 11) till 8.30am of Saturday morning (December 12). The students, who were visibly tired after the harrowing experience, also recounted that it was on the third day that they were given uncooked sweet potatoes and Kuli Kuli (beans cake) after they had gone two days without food to eat by their abductors in the forest.

Saturday Telegraph further gathered that the students, after they were abducted, were kept at Tsafe, a local government area in Zamfara State. Speaking exclusively to Saturday Telegraph, one of the students, one Safiyanu (16) from Danja Local Government Area, said: “When they kidnapped us, they forces us to trek on foot from the school premises to the bush with no slippers and forced us to be jogging, matching thorns and stones.

“And for the first two days in captivity no food was given to us, it was only on the third day they gave us sweet potato uncooked with five pieces of Kuli Kuli (beans cake).” Another student, a JSS 2 from Malumfashi, recalled that on the day they were kidnapped, after getting to their destination in the forest, “they did not allow us to talk to each other, they told us to put our heads down, only to talk when you want to ease yourself.”

However, an 18-year-old SS2 student, said on the day they started negotiations with the government team, he overheard one of the bandits saying, “we want government to settle us, not your parents.” Another student of the school, a JSS student also said, on our first two days, “we were allowed to only eat from leaves in the bush, as they did not gives us anything to eat.”

A mother of one of the schoolboys rescued, who came to the Government House to catch a glimpse of her child, said when eventually the schools were reopened, “my child will not go back to that same GSSS Kankara” because of the fear of further attack.

However, Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State, while speaking on the rescue mission by the government, said the students would undergo medical check-up before their final handing over to their families. Prior to this, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, had on Thursday, said the students would also be made to undergo medical check before being handed over to their respective families.

Don’t be deterred by your bitter experience-Buhari

President Muhammad Buhari has advised the 344 rescued school boys of Government Science Secondary School Kankara, Katsina State to put behind them the incident that occurred last week. President Buhari, who gave the advise yesterday, when he met them at the Presidential wing of the Government House, Katsina, said their education should be upper most in their minds to enable them achieve their desired goals in life.

According to him, as science students, the incident should rather ginger them to attain their heart desires to become well educated citizens. The President, who went down the memory lane of how he became what he is today, urged them not to be deterred but to face their studies with all the vigour and energy to become productive to achieve their aims.

To the security agencies, he charged them to renew efforts to bring to book all those found culpable in acts that led these children and many others into this unnecessary hardship. He said: “As security agencies, you should do your work as demanded by your profession, as you will be called to give account of your activities in hereafter.” On his part, Governor Aminu Masari, thanked the President for his concern to the plight of the abducted freed schoolboys, whom he said, were from the 34 LGAs of the state and outside.

FG: Boko Haram lied, students were abducted by bandits

The Federal Government yesterday dismissed as blatant lies, the claims by the Boko Haram that it was responsible for the abduction of hundreds of students at the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State. This emerged as the government also debunked speculations that $5million ransom was paid to the group that carried out the abduction in order for them to set the students free.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who made the clarifications, at a media interview in Abuja, described Boko Haram’s claims as an attempt by the terrorist group to seek relevance after it had been decimated and weakened by the superior fire power of the Nigeria Armed Forces. The minister said on the contrary, the abduction of the students was the handiwork of armed bandits operating in the North West region of the country.

Mohammed said the release of some videos by Boko Haram purportedly showing the boys, while in captivity, was a desperate attempt to create the impression that the group was still relevant in the country.

He said: “The boys were abducted by bandits and not Boko Haram. The fact that Boko Haram claimed responsibility shows how irrelevant it has become in the country. This is not the first time that Boko Haram has sought to link up with the bandits. “The release of videos claiming responsibility for the incident was an attempt to make themselves relevant. It goes to show how decimated and weakened they have become but they are still trying to give the impression that they are still a potent force.”

The release of 344 students, few hours after Boko Haram released its video parading the school boys and demanding ransom triggered suspicions that the government, which earlier said it was negotiating with the bandits for their release must have conceded to their request.

On why President Muhammadu Buhari did not visit Kankara to empathise with the parents of the students and the school authorities, Mohammed said the most important thing was to ensure the release of the boys within the fastest possible time. He added that the President, though on vacation, coordinated the whole operations leading to the release of the boys from his Daura country home. He said: “The Federal Government is most grateful to our security and intelligence agencies for this great feat.

We also wish to thank the governments of Katsina and Zamfara states, and indeed all Nigerians and friends of Nigeria. “Let me be clear: What happened in Kankara – and in Chibok and Dapchi before it – is totally unacceptable. Our children should not have to go to school in trepidation. The Federal Government is doing everything possible to secure all our schools, and indeed all Nigerians.”

How credible intelligence helped rescue schoolboys – DHQ

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said that troops of Operation Hadarin Daji effected the rescue of 344 abducted students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara in Katsina State, through credible intelligence. Saturday Telegraph recalls that the military, through the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations (DMO), Maj-Gen. John Enenche, had on Wednesday, promised to rescue the kidnapped schoolboys unhurt. In a statement on the release of the abductees, the DMO’s coordinator said the successful operation was undertaken on December 17. Enenche said: “Keeping to its promise to ensure the safe return of all abducted students of Government Science Secondary School Kankara, Katsina State, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji rescued all 344 abducted students on Thursday, 17 December 2020. “The students were rescued on the heels of credible intelligence by our gallant troops, with high degree of professionalism to ensure they were all rescued alive. “The Military High Command commends troops of Operation Hadarin Daji including all security agencies for their dexterity. The general public who volunteered information are also hereby appreciated.”

Shehu apologises over number of schoolboys abducted

Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammmadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, has admitted error in his claim that only ten of the Government Science Secondary School (GSSS), Kankara, Kastina state were abducted by the bandits on December 11. Shehu had controverted the Katsina State governor, Aminu Masari’s admittance that 333 of the schoolboys were missing by maintaining that only 10 of them were abducted by the bandits.

The controversy over the actual number of the schoolboys adopted continued until about a week later (Thursday) when news broke that government had secured the release of 344 schoolboys from the bandits. The boys were yesterday presented physically to both Masari in Katsina and later to the President in Daura where he is currently holidaying.

Shehu’s claims had attracted criticisms from the people when I’m be amended apparent that his claim was actually not true. The Presidential spokesman went on his Facebook wall yesterday to offer apologies for his goof has he wrote: “I apologise for the incorrect communication citing that only 10 students were kidnapped at the science school, Kankara “This communication of numbers was provided by persons that should ideally know.

These numbers were seen to conflict with what was available at that time. “Please understand that this communication was in no way done to downplay the seriousness of the situation. Please accept my sincere apologies on this matter as we continue to move our great Nation Nigeria forward. Thank you.”

Come clean on the abduction of Kankara students, PDP tells APC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the All Progressives Congress (APC) should tell Nigerians all it knows about the abduction of the now released 600 students of Government Science Secondary School (GSSS) Kankara, Katsina State by bandits. PDP in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, accused the ruling party of acting as the mouthpiece of bandits. Instead of condemning terrorism activities in the country, PDP stated that APC preferred to attack any person or groups that dared to criticise the activities of these bandits or demand unconditional release of abductees. The PDP said: “Indeed, the Thursday’s statement by the Governor Mai Buni-led leadership of the APC, in which it showed support to bandits by condemning genuine protest by Nigerian women and youth in Abuja, has further betrayed the APC as a party that has vested interest in the proceeds of these reprehensible enterprises. “Moreover, the statement credited to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, wherein he attempted to rationalise the abduction of the 600 students as a normal occurrence in other parts of the world, validates apprehensions of high-level conspiracy against helpless Nigerians,” the party noted.”

Lawan hails release of schoolboys

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has expressed relief at the news of the release of the 344 school boys kidnapped last week at the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State. Lawan said the fact that the boys regained their freedom unharmed would delight their parents and all people of goodwill in Nigeria and across the world who have been horrified by the ordeal of these innocent children. The Senate President said the parents who had been under tremendous emotional stress as they prayed for the safe return of their children can now have peace. He said: “The past few days have been harrowing for the parents of the students, their teachers and all of us as a nation. “The nightmare sadly reminds us of our country’s continued vulnerability to heartless crimes such as the kidnap of hundreds of schoolgirls in Chibok in 2014 and the Dapchi incident of 2018. The blemish of those earlier incidents is still on us as a country and we had hoped that the outrage that they sparked would mean such never happened again in Nigeria.”

Northern govs hail rescue mission

The Northern Governors’ Forum (NSGF) yesterday welcomed with excitement the release of the abducted students of Government Science School School, Kankara, Katsina State. Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong, while reacting to the development, commended President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Aminu Masari, security agencies, community leaders and all stakeholders who contributed in making sure the school boys were released unharmed. Lalong in a statement signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Makut Simon Macham, said the release of the students would comfort and assuage the parents and the entire country which has been agonised since the children were kidnapped.