Katsina State governor,Aminu Masari has disclosed that 333 students are still missing following an attack on Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, by gunmen on Friday night.
Receiving a federal government delegation led by the National Security Adviser,Babagana Monguno, on Sunday, the governor said search is ongoing to locate the students.
“Based on the available records, we are still searching for 333 students through either the forest or their parents to ascertain the actual number that have been kidnapped.
“We are still counting because more are coming out from the forest, and we are calling those parents that have phone numbers to find out whether or not their children have gone back home.
“As a government, we are yet to be contacted by any group or person responsible for the kidnap of the students,” Masari said.
Gunmen had invaded the school on Friday night, shooting into the air to scare away people in the area.It is still unknown who carried out the attack and why the students were abducted.
The school is said to have a population of around 800 students, and according to the police, when the gunmen attacked, some of the students scaled the fence to escape.
Isah Gambo, spokesman of the Katsina State Police Command, had earlier said 200 students were rescued as of Saturday morning.
On Saturday evening, Garba Shehu, spokesman to President Muhammadu Buhari, said the armed forces had located the hideout of the bandits in a forest.
The president, who directed security agencies to ensure the rescue of the abducted students, urged parents whose children fled home during the attack to notify the school.
