Three female pupils abducted from Lagos secondary school by unknown gunmen

THREE female pupils have been abducted from the Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary School (BMJSS ) in Ikorodu in Lagos State by unknown gunmen creating a huge security headache for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

 

In a hugely embarrassing crisis for the Lagos State government, the three girls were abducted from the co-educational secondary school owned by the Lagos Anglican Diocese. Their parents have blamed the low perimeter fence around the school and the inadequate presence of security personnel at its hostel.

 

Parents are also unhappy about the fact that since Monday when the kidnapping took place, neither Governor Ambode nor one of his representatives has visited the school. Apparently, the pupils were studying in the science and technology block for their examinations near the hostel around 8pm on Monday when the gunmen, said to be about 15 in number, stormed the premises, shooting sporadically.

 

During the attack, the bandits, one of whom was said to be masked, were reported to have been resisted by some male students but they had to beat a retreat when the hoodlums inflicted machete cuts on one of them. Later, the arrival of the school’s security men, who joined the students, forced the invaders to flee.

 

As they fled, however, the bandits escaped with the three girls through the fence after failed attempts by the school security guards and some of the pupils to resist the abduction. After the attack, some panic-stricken parents hurriedly took their children away from the school on Tuesday.

 

Many of the parents blamed the school authorities for not providing adequate security within the boarding area. One angry parent said the authorities concentrated security arrangements at the entrance to the school while there was none within the hostel area.

 

She added: “I am not going to accept any excuses from the school authorities on this abduction. They are supposed to have ensured adequate security in the hostel area of the school and the fence is too low and anybody can enter the school freely.”

 

Babatunde Adeyemi, the Bishop of Badagry Diocese, one of the owners of the school, said he did not want to speak on the abduction until the children were rescued safely.  He added that when God has settled the case, they will keep everyone informed.