The Boko Haram terrorist sect have threatened to invade the Government College and the Mount St. Gabriel Secondary School in Makurdi, Benue State, to abduct male pupils.
The Principal of the College Godfrey Ugudu has disclosed yesterday he had received two letters dated May 14 with identical content. One of the two letters was picked up in one of the classroom, while another one found in the staff room. Both were written in pidgin English.
The letters contained a warning that the sect are going to attack the College and the neighbouring catholic Mount Saint Gabriel Secondary School either on Friday (May 16) or on Monday (May 19) with the intention to kidnap the boys to marry them off to the Chibok school girls Boko Haram still hold in captivity.
According to the College principal, they immediately alerted the local police Commissioner for Education and reported the matter to Governor Gabriel Suswam. Ugudu subsequently commended the state government and security operatives for immediately reacting to the issue and ensuring safety of the pupils of both educational institutions.
On Saturday, security was beefed up at the popular Aper Aku Stadium road that linked the two schools just as fierce-looking military men including police and army personnel were stationed at the entrance keeping vigil on the schools.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, about 500 of approximately 700 students are living in Government College, while Mount Saint Gabriel is purely boarding school. The College is the alma-mater of Bornor State Governor Gabriel Suswam.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Dan Ezeala, confirmed the report and assured that police were on top of the situation.