Gunmen took advantage of security lapses around creeks in Igbonla, Epe, on Thursday to abduct six pupils of Igbonla Model College, Epe, Lagos.
This
came seven months after four pupils and two members of staff of the college
were kidnapped in October 2016.
It
was learnt that the gunmen gained entry into the school premises around 6am on
Thursday through the creek at the back of the college.
They
were said to have pulled down the school fence and headed for the boys’ hostel,
seizing 10 Senior Secondary School pupils.
Punch
correspondent was told that four of the pupils were later released at the
waterside by the assailants after profiling their parents’ details.
They
escaped with the remaining six pupils, identified as Peter Jonah, Isiaq Rahmon,
Adebayo George, Judah Agbausi, Pelumi Philips and Farouq Yusuf.
Punch learnt that the gunmen had shot
into the air around 8pm on Wednesday while the pupils were having a prep, but
went back after policemen and soldiers fired back.
They
struck after the operatives had left the school in the dawn.
Some
parents of the abducted pupils were inconsolable as they broke down in tears.
One
of them, Maruf Rahmon, said he was at work when his wife, Ikamat, called him
that Isiaq had been abducted.
He
said, “I have three children here; Isiaq is one of them. The school authorities
had a meeting with us this afternoon (Thursday). We were told at the meeting
that the kidnappers had written the school three days ago that they were
coming. But they didn’t inform parents. I would have come to pick my children.”
Distraught
Ikamat appealed to the government to ensure the release of the pupils on time.
The
Lagos State Police Command in a statement signed by its Public Relations
Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said rescue operations had commenced.
No comments:
Post a Comment