A student has been confirmed dead while scores were abducted following bandits attack on the main campus of the Nuhu Bamali Polytechnic, Zaria, Kaduna State on Thursday night.
The bandits in large number were said to have invaded the main campus of the school at about 11.00pm and kidnapped no fewer than 10 persons – two lecturers and eight students.
It was gathered that the bandits raided the staff quarters of the school, shooting indiscriminately at anyone at sight.
The state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, after an on-the-spot assessment, confirmed the attack.
Aruwan said two of the students were hit by the bandits’ bullet, adding that one of the students identified as Ahmad Muhammad died of gunshot wounds.
The Kaduna State Government has been briefed by security agencies of an attack by bandits at the main campus of the Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria, late on Thursday night.
“According to the briefing, the bandits invaded the staff quarters of the campus, shooting sporadically. In the process, two students were hit and sustained gunshot injuries. They were identified as Ahmad Muhammad and Haruna Isyaku Duniya
“They were rushed to the hospital for medical attention. Sadly, Ahmad Muhammad succumbed to his wounds and died early this morning. Haruna Isyaku Duniya is still receiving treatment.
“Two lecturers and about eight students were abducted from the institution during the attack.”
He added that Haruna Dunniya, another student hit by a bullet was still receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital in the area.
The Commissioner said, “One student confirmed dead, one injured, and several kidnapped as armed bandits attack Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria.
He said Governor Nasir El-Rufai was sad on receiving the briefing on the latest attack on a school in the state.
Meanwhile, as of the time of filing this report, senior government officials and security operatives were assessing the situation.
The attack was coming barely 24 hours after State Directors of the Department of State Services in the northwest zone converged in the state to brainstorm on the disturbing spate of insecurity in the zone.
At the event, Aruwan had stressed the need for inter-agency collaboration among security agencies to tackle the current security challenges not only in the state but the entire zone.
He had noted that some of the attacks would have been averted if there was synergy among the security agencies in the fight against banditry and kidnapping and other related crimes ravaging the zone.
The Commissioner, therefore, enjoined the various security agencies – DSS, Police, military and other paramilitary agencies to work together in order to flush out bandits and other related criminal elements.
He had said, “Our appeal to you today is that we all imbibe more than ever the essence of sharing and teamwork. In security management, every element is important, and in our situation, every Command is part of a system.
“As it is commonly said, “teamwork makes the dream work.” Each one brings a crucial piece to the intelligence puzzle, especially in these times when the challenges have blurred state lines and operate with no delineation between our territories.
“The underlying psychology which we as State Governments and State Commands must work with at this time is that of “One Team, One Fight.”
“Our states must work as one team because our fight has clearly become one fight. Anything less than a fully collaborative spirit may turn our best efforts into liabilities instead of assets to the entire security architecture.From our intelligence gathering, we have discovered that (and it is important for us to keep this in mind) criminals, bandits and terrorists are now collaborating more to devastating effect. If they do, then should we not, as states, do the same?”