Nasir el-Rufai, the governor of Kaduna state, has stated that he pulled his son, Abubakar, from a public school in the state because he was being pursued by robbers.

Abubakar was enrolled in the Kaduna Capital School, a state-run public school, by the governor in September 2019. He had stated that sending Abubakar to a public school was a way for him to demonstrate his commitment to improving public education and rising standards.

Governor El-Rufai, however, stated in an interview with BBC Pidgin on Thursday that he has “temporarily” withdrew Abubakar and one of his daughters, who he had also registered in the school when she was six years old. Security authorities advised them to leave the school when they got information that the youngsters were being targeted by bandits, he added.

He stated that despite his confidence in the school’s security team, he withdrew his children from the school so that they would not endanger other students.

“My son and my daughter are registered in the school because his sister became six and we had to register her.

But we have had to temporarily withdraw them for the security of the school because we got intercepts from at least two groups that are planning to attack the school to kidnap my son.

I don’t think they will succeed because there will be enough security there to prevent it but other children may be placed in danger.

We have no idea what weapons they will come with. I have taken a stand against paying bandits and at least three groups of bandits have been intercepted planning to go to Kaduna Capital school and kidnap my son and ‘see if they catch my son, I go say I no go pay ransom?”he said

The governor said Abubakar is currently being homeschooled. He added that his son will, however, take his examinations at Kaduna Capital school.