Some young students and their female teacher who had gathered at a school, Prince Academy School, to write the Junior School Certificate Examination in Damba-Kasanya village in Chikun local government area of Kaduna state, northwest Nigeria, were attacked and abducted by suspected Fulani militia on August 24, 2020.
The rural school, about 30 kilometers east of Kaduna city, was attacked around 7:30 am when the students were seated for the exams. The gunmen rode into the village on motorcycles, shooting sporadically and abducted seven students, a female teacher, and some residents of the village.
They killed a young man, Benjamin Auta whose house is close to the school and also burnt down the community’s Baptist Church. The villagers, however, pursued them into the bush and rescued some students, but the abductors escaped with four including the female teacher.
They include: Ezra Bako, 17; Miss Miracle Saitu Danjuma, 15; Miss Favour Danjuma, 10; Miss Happiness Odoji, 16; Miss Christiana Madugu, the teacher, 29.
The Federal Government had recently opened up schools after the COVID-19 pandemic so that graduating students could write their final exams. Students in Kaduna state had joined their counterparts in other states to write the exams.
Villages in Chikun and Birnin Gwari local governments in Kaduna state have come under repeated attacks from heavily-armed Fulani Militia for years. They have sacked and drove away people from about 20 villages. Most of the displaced are now staying in various IDP camps in Chikun and Birnin Gwari.