Armed bandits attack Nigerian university, kidnap students

This is the fifth attack of its kind to hit the West African country since December.

CAPE TOWN, April 21 (ANA) – There has been yet another attack on a Nigerian learning institution as armed gunmen stormed a private university in Kaduna State late on Tuesday evening and abducted several students.

According to CGTN Africa, eyewitnesses said the gunmen stormed the university and started shooting sporadically before taking some of the students away.

This is the fifth attack of its kind to hit the West African country since December.

In a series of tweets on Wednesday, the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs for Kaduna State issued a statement and confirmed the attack on Greenfield University, reporting that one staff member had been killed, and an unspecified number of students kidnapped.

According to the ministry, security operatives took custody of the remaining students, who have been handed over to the institution, at noon on Wednesday.

The statement revealed that the actual number of students kidnapped was still being sought from the institution’s records.

Just days ago, authorities in Katsina State announced that dogs and prayer sessions will be part of a new security set-up to protect school students from criminals.

The BBC reported that in addition to a perimeter fence, five guards and a security post, dogs will also be deployed at public boarding schools.

Schools will also introduce at least three daily prayer sessions at all public schools in the predominantly Muslim state to pray against attacks from bandits, reported the BBC.

More than 600 students have been kidnapped in Nigeria since December, with local and international observers saying the security situation is out of control.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher