Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Masari has confirmed that three hundred and thirty-three students are missing following an attack on Government Science Secondary School, Kankara.

Masari gave the figure when he received a Federal Government delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno on Sunday.

“Based on the available record we have, we are still searching for 333 students through either the forest or their parents to ascertain the actual number that has been kidnapped,” Governor Masari said.

“We are still counting because more are coming out from the forest and we are calling through the numbers those parents that have phone numbers to find out whether or not their children have gone back home.

“We as a government, we are yet to be contacted by any group or person responsible for the kidnap of the students.”

The defence minister stressed that it is time to declare the bandits as terrorists to encourage people to seat up.

“Today we are here also to sympathise with you over the recent abduction of secondary school students which is a more or less ruthless exercise conducted to temper with the education of the students,” he said.

“With the brief we received from the sister security agencies in the state, this task will be very simple to accomplish.

“Within the next few hours, we will ensure that these people are back without any collateral damage to the people of Katsina State.

“All hands are on deck to ensure we accomplish our tasks within the armed forces and the police. I was here around August on the same kind of mission to sympathise with the government regarding the farmers/herders clashes.”