EXTRA: Gunmen attack Kaduna school, ‘mistake NECO papers for money’

Gunmen have reportedly attacked the Government Secondary School, Unguwar Sarki in Kaduna.

According to TheNation, the armed men stormed the school on Friday and took away packaged exam papers meant for SS3 students who were about to write their National Examination Council of Nigeria (NECO) assessments.

Bilkisu Aliyu, the principal of the school, was quoted as saying the men trailed a NECO supervisor from a commercial bank along Alkali Road, where she had gone to collect the exams questions and answer sheets.

She said the gunmen forced the NECO supervisor to surrender the question papers, thinking it was a bag of money.

“Thinking it was money, they demanded she hands over the bulk of the wrapped papers to them and threatened to shoot her.  They were told it was not money but they would not listen,” Aliyu was quoted as telling journalists.

Sanusi Umar, a parent whose child was to write the exam, said he initially thought it was an attack by bandits.

“Hundreds of parents stormed the school.  On getting to the school, we were told it was armed robbers that came to take away wrapped examination thinking it was money,” Umar was also quoted to have said.

“I want to call on the government and security agencies to beef up security in schools since these criminals are now targeting our schools.”

Editor’s note: The featured image is used for illustration.