The Minister of Defence , Gen. Salihi Magashi (retd . ) , on Sunday , assured that all the abducted students of Government Science secondary school , Kankara would return home safely “ within the next few hours ” .
He gave the assurance in Katsina shortly before he led Service Chiefs to a closed – door meeting with Governor Aminu Masari .
The minister and the service chiefs were in Katsina on a sympathy visit over the abduction of the students on Friday by bandits .
Others in the entourage included the Chief of Defence Staff , the Chief of Air Staff , the Chief of Naval Staff , the Inspector – General — of Police , the DG , DSS and the DG, NIA as well as heads of security agencies in Katsina , including the Commissioner of Police .
The Defence Minister said from the briefings he was given by heads of security agencies on the ground, the rescue of the students was a matter of time .
He said , “With the brief we received from the sister security agencies in the state , this task will be very simple.
“ Within the next few hours , we will ensure that these people are back without any collateral damage to the people of Katsina State we have strategised . We only need prayers.
“ All hands are on deck to ensure that within the armed forces and the police the task will be accomplished . ”
Governor Aminu Masari thanked the delegation for the visit , assuring that the state was making every efforts to ensure the release of the students .
He said , “ The children so far kidnapped cut across the state because the boarding school houses all children from all parts of the state and some even from outside the state . It ( Government Science Secondary School , Kankara) has a population of 839 and so far we are yet to account for 333 students . ”