The wife of the slain Vice Principal of Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, has narrated how her daughter narrowly escaped during the attack that led to the abduction of 25 schoolgirls.
Amina Hassan said the gunmen broke into their home at about 3:30 a.m. while the family was asleep.
“What happened is that we were asleep around 3.30 a.m. when I heard movements behind our window. So I tried to wake my husband up to tell him that the animals are destroying our things outside. Before I knew it, there was a bang on our door and it was forcefully opened,”* she said.
She explained that they initially mistook the noise for animals disturbing their property.
“So I tapped my husband to tell him that the animals have gotten into the house and they are really destroying our things. As soon as he got up, we realized they were not animals but robbers armed with guns. We started struggling with them. Then one of them pulled out his gun and shot my husband. Then they dragged me by my hand outside the house,”* she said.
During the struggle, Mrs Hassan said their daughter came outside.
“I was still arguing with them when my daughter came out. Then they left me and went to her and took her with them, leading them to the hostel.”
She recounted how the attackers threatened to shoot the girl.
“Then they told her to lay down so they can shoot her too. So she told them, ‘I should lay down so that you can shoot me.’ They said ‘yes.’”
According to her, the girl pleaded to step aside briefly.
“So she asked that they allow her to go and ease herself. But then they opened the door and saw other girls, and their attention was shifted from my girl,” she said.
The vice principal’s wife said the distraction created a narrow window for escape.
“That was how she was able to escape into the bush. By the time she came back, it was already morning,” she said.
