President Muhammadu Buhari has “strongly condemned” an attack by bandits on the Government Science Secondary School (GSSS), Kankara in Katsina State.
The president’s position was conveyed in a Saturday evening statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu.
The president, who is presently in Daura, also in Katsina State, charged the army and the police to go after the attackers to ensure that no student gets missing or harmed.
Read Also: Kaduna Government May Impose Another Lockdown – Commissioner
President Buhari also urged the school authorities to carry out an audit of the population of the students following shootings in and around the school that sent hundreds of them fleeing and scrambling over perimeter walls.
Also, the president said that parents who rushed to the school and removed their children and wards were also required to notify the school and police authorities in order to have a full account of the school population.
“I strongly condemn the cowardly bandits’ attack on innocent children at the Science School, Kankara. Our prayers are with the families of the students, the school authorities and the injured,” the statement quoted President Buhari as saying while pledging to continue to support the police and military struggle against terrorists and bandits.
The presidential statement further disclosed that in the latest briefing received by the President from Governor Aminu Bello Masari, with whom he has been in touch, and the Army Chief of Staff, General Tukur Buratai, the military, supported by air power has located the bandits’ enclave at Zango/Paula forest in Kankara and there have been exchange of fire in an ongoing operation.
The statement said that police have so far said that there has not been any reported student casualty.
Furthermore, the President has directed the reinforcement of security of all schools in line with the safe schools policy of the administration.