The Principal of the Nigerian Turkish International Colleges, Isheri, Ogun State, Yunus Emre Dogan, on Saturday gave an account of how eight students and staff of the school were abducted at gunpoint by people suspected to be kidnappers.
Dogan spoke during visits to the school by senior government officials, including security operatives.
One of the early arrivals at the school was the Ogun State Deputy Governor, Yetunde Onanuga.
Dogan said the gunmen arrived the school premises on Friday night armed and began to shoot sporadically, adding that there was panic everywhere.
He saidthe abductors swiftly dashed into the female hostel where three students were kidnapped alongside the house mistress and a Turkish teacher that teaches mathematics in the school.
According to him, the abductors dug a big hole through a side of the College’s perimeter fence from where they escaped through the bushy and swampy part of the area.
Onauga was in the school alongside other members of the Ogun State Executive Council for on-the-spot assessment of the situation.
Onanuga told grieving parents that the government was committed to the safe return of the students.
She appealed to parents and guardians of the pupils to remain calm and not to engage in panic withdrawal of their children from the school.
She said: “We are here to express our concern and sympathy.
“It is unfortunate that this is happening barely few days on school resumption.
“When we heard about it, we quickly sprang into action, hence the urgent visit.
“Our government has put necessary security measure in place for the rescue of the abductees.
“Ogun State is already in action.
“Let me reassure you that we are going to rescue the victims soon.
“No doubt, it does happen once a while, but it’s unfortunate.
“The state is aware and we are doing the work.
“We will do all that is possible for the safe return of the children.
“The FG is aware and they have also assured us that very very soon, they would be rescued.
“It’s not the time to start taking children out of the schools.
“The security operatives are all on ground to ensure safety of life and property of the school.
“We will do all that is possible to make sure the school is safe and the school authority is also doing what is possible to ensure that the state is safe.”
The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Kayode Aderanti, was also among the early callers.
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