Mustapha Abubakar, one of the kidnapped pupils from Kuriga in Kaduna State, managed to escape and shared his harrowing experience with his captors. As reported by BBC Hausa Service on Monday, March 11, 2024, Abubakar revealed that the kidnappers treated them like cattle grazing in the bush.
It’s a grim reminder of the abduction of over 280 pupils and teachers from Government Secondary School and LEA primary school in Kuriga, Kaduna State, by bandits on Thursday, March 7, 2024.
According to reports, the bandits launched an attack on the Kuriga area of the Chikun Local Government Area in Kaduna State on Thursday. They opened fire on their victims before abducting a minimum of 280 pupils and teachers from both schools.
Due to security concerns in the council, the secondary school had been relocated to the primary school. Abubakar recounted his escape, mentioning that he cleverly concealed himself in the bush while the bandits were transporting them on foot into the forest.
He recounted, “We journeyed through the bush, often crawling due to exhaustion. The thirst became unbearable, causing some girls to weaken and collapse from fatigue. The bandits resorted to carrying them and placing them on motorcycles.”
“We reached a sizable river where we quenched our thirst before continuing our journey on foot. At one point, a plane flew overhead, prompting the bandits to instruct us to remove an article of clothing and lie down. They themselves were fatigued, surviving on grass and rope in the forest, providing us with nothing to eat,” he recounted.
“While trekking, I noticed a shrub resembling the color of my trousers. I concealed myself inside, moving like a snake until the surroundings fell silent. Then, I emerged and made my way into the bush.”
Abubakar mentioned encountering an elderly man who could barely walk. He sought guidance from him to reach a nearby road or town for drinking water.
He recounted traveling a considerable distance until he reached Gayan, a community where he ultimately found refuge.
Meanwhile, Senator Uba Sani, accompanied by senior government officials and heads of security agencies, visited the scene of the attack on Thursday evening. He assured the community that those abducted by the ruthless bandits would return unharmed.
The governor mentioned having communicated with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, regarding the situation. He confirmed that security forces had promptly initiated operations to locate and rescue the abducted pupils.
