Menchum: Suspected Amba fighters kidnap 15 students, vice principal in Esu.

The early morning armed attack is said to have left several students injured. Reports say when the militiamen stormed the campus, they first walked towards the classrooms where students were busy taking lessons before stripping them naked and inflicting physcological torture on them.

Amateur videos making the rounds on social media platforms, picture the armed men threatening to set the students ablaze in classrooms. After molesting the students, 15 of them were taken away by the armed men. The Vice Principal of the school and another teacher, were also abducted during the attack.

The Guardian Post gathered late yesterday that while the 15 students were later released after hours in captivity, the kidnapped school authorities are still being held by their abductors.

The students who sustained injuries during the attack have since been receiving medical treatment in health facilities in Esu.

It was not immediately known why the armed men attacked the school that has been operating smoothly since the start of the current academic year.

In an outing on social media yesterday, the Esu Youth Development Association, EYDA, confirmed the attack, before describing it as barbaric.

The association wrote: “Information reaching us has it that some unscrupulous, unknown armed men attacked and burnt down Government Technical High School, GTHS Esu early today Tuesday, December 12, 2023”. 

"The Vice Principal and one other teacher, whose only name we got was Mr. Amah, and about 10 students, were taken to an unknown destination. A cross-section of the students were undressed and forced to go home naked,” the association added.

“We condemn with all energy, the barbarism carried out by such persons on our armless children and by people whose mission remains unknown to the peace-loving people of Esu,” the group stated. 

The abduction of the students and teachers comes weeks after the release of the Principal of Government High School, GHS Benakuma, still in Menchum Division of the North West Region.

Tem Gerald Akebai regained his freedom on November 14, after spending 28 days in captivity. 

He was kidnapped by suspected Amba fighters as he set out for work.

His release was confirmed by the Divisional Officer, DO of Menchum Valley Subdivision, Foncha Azise Christian. 

The civil administrator confirmed the development in a chat with this reporter but didn’t disclose the circumstances leading to the release of the school administrator. It was not immediately known if ransom was paid to secure the release of the Principal. It was not also disclosed why the official was targeted for kidnap.