Authorities of the Saint Augustine College in Kumbo, North West region of Cameroon have shut down the school after about 170 students were released from captivity.
The Diocese of Kumbo announced on Sunday that it was shutting down the school and called for parents to come and collect their children.
According to a communique from the Diocese, unidentified gunmen kidnapped 176 persons from the school on aturday morning and only released them on Sunday afternoon.
Given the present security challenges in the area, the Diocese of Kumbo has now called on parents to come and collect their children from school.
Below is a statement from the Diocese of Kumbo
ABDUCTION OF SOME MEMBERS OF SAINT AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE, NSO
On Saturday 16 February 2019, unidentified gunmen came into the campus of Saint Augustine’s College, Nso, shortly after 6 a.m., and abducted some members of the College Community.
They took along 170 students, 2 college security guards, one teacher and three of his kids.
The abductees were released sometime in the afternoon of Sunday 17 February 2019. Shortly after that, they assembled in the main mission station of St Paul’s Parish, Kikaikom. From there, they were conveyed by the authorities of the Diocese of Kumbo, back to the college Campus in the evening of 17 February 2018, arriving the campus about 8:30 p.m.
School authorities have requested parents and guardians to come and take their children back home as soon as possible. The school has closed down.
The Bishop of Kumbo and the school authorities of Saint Augustine’s College, Nso regret this incident, and sincerely sympathize with all the children and their families. They render gratitude to all the sympathizers and persons of goodwill, who gave them moral support in these two days of grave concern and anxiety.
Rev. Elvis Nsaikila, S.D. _Diocesan Director of Communications_
