Boko Haram Accepts Responsibility for School Boys Abduction
The Boko Haram sect has accepted it is responsible for the abduction of over 300 school pupils in Kankara, Katsina State, saying the act was to discourage Western education against Islamic practices.
Abubakar Shekau of the sect claimed that the students were not taught what Allah and his Holy Prophet commanded.
According to him, “What happened in Katsina was done to promote Islam and discourage un-Islamic practices as Western education is not the type of education permitted by Allah and his Holy Prophet,” he said.
“They are also not teaching what Allah and his Holy Prophet commanded. They are rather destroying Islam. It may be subtle, but Allah, the Lord of the skies and earth, knows whatever is hidden. May Allah promote Islam. May we die as Muslims. In a nutshell, we are behind what happened in Katsina.”
Meanwhile, the gunmen who attacked Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina state, have reportedly contacted one of the parents of the abducted students.
Kadaria Ahmed had revealed through her tweeter handled quoting Abdul Labaran, spokesman of the Katsina government, that the gunmen have asked parents to start making preparations for ransom to facilitate the students’ release.
Labaran also reportedly said the gunmen also asked the parent to warn security operatives to stop the surveillance of their hideouts to guarantee the students’ safety.
“Abdul Labaran DG Media for the Katsina govt just told @RadioNow953FM gunmen who abducted Kankara Students have phoned a parent and told him to begin gathering ransom money and asked him to tell the military to desist from air surveillance of their hiding place or else.”
But the defense headquarters has said the military action will continue despite talks with the state government’s suspected bandits.
However, Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari yesterday revealed that 17 of the missing schoolboys kidnapped last Friday from Government Science Secondary School (GSSS) in Kankara Local Government Area of the state had escaped captivity.
Governor Masari said the schoolboys were found and have been reunited with their families.
He added that efforts had been intensified to rescue the remaining schoolboys still in captivity, safely.
“As of today (Monday), information available to me shows that 17 of the missing children have been found. Fifteen of them were found around Dinya in Danmusa, the DPO informed me. One other was found through them, and the last, the father called that his son had returned home.
“All these missing children who have been found have been reunited with their families since we have shut down the schools.”
“I was told that they spoke with a teacher whose son was also kidnapped, that the bandits said the helicopter should stop roving and that they will collect ransom, but they didn’t specify. And so they ended the call.
“Majority of the missing children are in the forest in Zamfara. But God willing, the children will be returned safely.”
The governor added that they are doing everything possible to rescue the children as the solicits for operation and prayers from well-meaning individuals.
